UN: Philippines leads in developing migration governance system

MANILA, Philippines — With over six million overseas Filipinos and nearly two million migrant workers seeking temporary employment, the United Nations (UN) said the Philippines has been leading a system that places migrants’ human rights at the center.

The UN made the statement as its network on migration in the Philippines marked International Migrants Day, wherein it reaffirmed its commitment to work with the government in promoting the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM).

“As a GCM champion country, the government has taken concrete steps to actualize and codify the compact, which led to the establishment of the Department of Migrant Workers,” Gustavo Gonzalez, UN Philippines resident coordinator and chairman of the UN migration network in the Philippines, said.

“Multiple stakeholders are working with the government to carry out the national action plans on gender-responsive return and sustainable reintegration and on fair and ethical recruitment,” he said.

Another key facet of human mobility in the Philippines is climate change, to which the country remains acutely vulnerable, Gonzales said. 

“Greater attention and efforts are necessary to address the varied dimensions of the climate crisis – whether slow onset or disasters – on displacement and labor migration. Leveraging man mobility as a positive adaptation strategy can strengthen climate resilience,” he added.  

Gonzalez said the GCM commitments could only be achieved if human mobility is translated into adequate policies and included in national budgets, development plans and action through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

The new UN Cooperation Framework with the Philippines will reflect the UN’s collective support to the government in accelerating the implementation of GCM objectives, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 25-year vision of the Filipino people AmBisyon Natin 2040.

Gonzales said UN Network on Migration would continue to offer coherent and UN system-wide support to strengthen the collective commitment, promote safe migration and address adverse drivers.