PHILIPPINES MIGRANTS PROGRAM I. Introduction With at least a hundred years of migration history, Filipinos can be found in virtually all countries of the world. There are 2,500 Filipinos leaving the country everyday either to work contractually or to live abroad. To date, there are an estimated 7.5 million Filipinos working and/or living overseas. Widespread poverty stimulates labour migration in the Philippines. The government's inability to energize the domestic economy to create good-paying jobs is in the heart of the migration phenomenon in the country. Economic deprivation brought about by unemployment and underemployment has prompted many Filipinos to leave their families for better pay in other countries. The rising cost of basic necessities, education, the continuing downward trend of the Philippine economy and the almost hopeless political situation push Filipinos to leave and work overseas. Following the many cases of human rights violations and the continuous upsurge in out-migration flow in 1990s, the YMCA of the Philippines issued a mandate in two (2) successive years (1996-1997) to take up the Migrant Workers as one of its principal program and service thrusts. The Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs then called a meeting/consultation to prepare and formulate guidelines in responding to issues of migrants in the region. The recommendations for involvement and action are as follows: • Raise Awareness on Migrant Issues • Formulate/Adopt Policies/Advocacy • Coordinate and Facilitate the organization of Migrant Groups • Draw-up concrete action plan at local and national levels II. Best YMCA Practices / Responses: • Orientation, education, training for program providers, YMCA Staff and volunteers (1998 and 2000) • Partnerships/networking • Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) • Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) • Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) • And other non-government organizations working with migrant sector • Counselling, legal assistance/referrals • Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS) - an education session provided to people who are still contemplating or considering working abroad as a possibility/option. These pioneering Pre-Employment Orientation Seminars (PEOS) also encourage potential migrants to assess their priorities, skills, physical and emotional readiness for migration. Modules include: Overview of Migration, Market Updates/Characteristics, Process of Application, Situation/Realities of Migrants, Rights of Migrant Workers, Anti-Illegal Recruitment, Health Risks, etc., PEOS helps them make an informed decision. • HIV/AIDS - an important seminar component, the YMCA was engaged by the Department of Health to develop a module to educate young people, women and families on health risks related to migration, particularly HIV/AIDS. • Media Campaigns also have an important component to educate a wider audience on migration-related issues and push the program/concerned agencies for speedy actions on issues/concerns affecting migrants and their families especially on emergency situations. • Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars - are given to ready-to-leave overseas workers. Only government accredited/licensed institutions could be PDOS Providers. The YMCA of the Philippines has been permitted to provide PDOS to Middle East bound Skilled Workers. • Exchange Program - Migration is an international issue, which both sending and receiving countries should address to lessen, if not eradicate, its negative impacts. The YMCA of the Philippines and the YMCA of Tainan (sending/receiving countries) had successfully concluded a partnership/exchange program with the Philippines sending a volunteer staff to Tainan to work with about 400 Filipino workers there. Activities included counselling, organizing, recreational and cultural programs, dialogue with employers/workers and language programs. In September 2002, the YMCAs of the Philippines and Sri Lanka, both sending countries, held an exchange program to enhance their work in responding to migrants issues and concerns in their respective countries. Held for the first time in Sri Lanka, the program hopes to hold follow-up program in the Philippines soon III. Challenges: In a report of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) that came out in the dailies recently, it was projected that people will continue to be on the move "as migration has become a high profile issue of our time". It said that it is an essential, inevitable and potentially beneficial component of the economic and social life of every state and region. The international labour flows will affect almost every sector, - the economy, education, health, environment, law enforcement, development and international relations, organizing, regularizing and managing international labour market will be a significant migration challenge in the coming decades. According to the report, there is an estimated 175 million international migrants. This number will continue to rise or fall as circumstances change at global, national, regional, community and personal levels. Movements will continue as people seek better job prospects and quality of life. There will be other issues/concerns on integration/identity; political participation, integration as policy to promote harmony and avoid exclusion and marginalization, border controls, movement of trade, business, tourism, education, security, etc. Much has been said on the negative impact of migration as many argued that underdevelopment was caused by migration and underdeveloped countries further lose their highly skilled people and labour force. While there is truth in this, properly managed migration has enormous potential for a country's development. It can contribute to poverty reduction at local, national levels, improve sustainable human development and reduce economic vulnerability of developing countries. In some regions the link between migration and development has been recognized and used positively. Remittances have become a key source of global finance. According to WB, remittances through official channels to developing countries reached a level of 72.3 billion US dollars in 2001. Including those sent through informal channels, it could reach 2 to 3 times high. More countries are seeking to create and maintain connections with migrants in the diaspora and their network to tap their potential to contribute to human and financial capital. Demand for labour at skills level is expected to increase/intensify. States, businesses, and migrants will need effective mechanism to match that labour demand with support services to ensure swift and effective integration. There will be a need for targeted and comprehensive labour migration programs jointly developed by countries of origin and destination to contribute to livelihood building, local/national poverty reduction, prevent the brain drain, satisfy receiving countries labour needs and ensure effective protection of the rights of migrants. This is now the time and opportunity for us to work together to start developing the framework and mechanism to help shape visionary and humane migration management programs and responses through and within our global, regional, national, and local associations. Contact Persons: ELOISA D. BORREO c/o YMCA of Quezon City YMCA of the Philippines
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