After the entry into force of the UN Convention for the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of their Families on July 1 of this year, ratifying states and governments face the challenge of fulfilling the aims of the Convention.

The fact that only sending countries like the Philippines have ratified this international instrument represents a major hurdle in implementing the Convention.

In commemoration of International Migrants’ Day on December 18, the Philippine Migrants’ Rights Watch (PMRW), in partnership with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), organized a forum to examine the post-ratification implications of the Convention, particularly for Filipino migrants. Held at the Ateneo Professional Schools, the forum was graced by migrants, representatives of government agencies, NGOs and the media, students and others involved in the migrant sector.

Vice-President Teofisto Guingona, Jr., in his keynote address, emphasized the responsibility of
the government to provide support and protection to its citizens while the Filipinos themselves should also mobilize and implement concrete actions for their self-empowerment and sustainability.

IOM Regional Representative Bruce Reed, House Committee Chair on Foreign Affairs Congressman Jose Apolinario Lozada, Jr., and CHR Commissioner Wilhelm Soriano also shared their views and insights as part of the key organizations and agencies that address the various issues of migration.

The speakers expressed their concern for migrants’ welfare and stressed the importance of partnership among stakeholders to combat the perils and costs of migration.

The stakeholders include Filipino migrants who are capable of improving their lives and securing their future and those of their families. Legislation, education and information campaigns and sustainable reintegration programs, among others, are vital in empowering migrants and their families.

Civil society efforts, on the other hand, must go beyond the usual discussions and fora and should reach out and empower the migrants spread across the globe. For its part, the PMRW will continue its advocacy to advance the rights and welfare of Filipino migrants and their families.