UN Philippines chief calls for action and attention of all stakeholders on the challenges faced by OFWs

The Closing Remarks (as prepared) of the UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines Mr. Gustavo Gonzalez for the Launch of the 2022 Returnee Survey Report follows:

I would like to congratulate the International Organization for Migration and the Scalabrini Migration Center for completing the 2022 Returnee Survey Report—the  follow-up study to the COVID-19 Impact Assessment on Returned Overseas Filipino Workers, which was launched by IOM in May 2021. I acknowledge the efforts that went into reaching out to survey participants from two years ago and analyzing a huge amount of data of over 1,000 OFWs and translating them to a narrative report. 

I am grateful to the panelists of the 2022 Returnee Survey Report Launch for gracing us with their presence and sharing with us their insights on the return and reintegration of OFWs:   

1. Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac, Department of Migrant Workers 

2. Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega, Department of Foreign Affairs 

3. Mr. Yuri Leomo, National Economic Development Authority 

4. Ms. Aileen Constantino-Peñas, Atikha Overseas Workers and Communities Initiative, Inc. 

5. Mr. Luther Calderon, Kabalikat ng Migranteng Pilipino, Inc. 

I cannot overstate the importance of studies and researches such as this to ensure that our programmes, policies, and practices on reintegration and migration governance are well-informed by concrete evidence.  

Equally vital is the action and attention of all stakeholders on the challenges faced by OFWs and the recommendations brought forward by this report. A whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach is indispensable in addressing the migration issues surfaced in the report. 

You can count on the support of the Philippine UN Network on Migration in bringing together the relevant actors and capitalizing on each other’s strengths and efforts to improve migration governance in the country. 

As we move forward, I would like to remind us that we are not starting from scratch. The National Action Plan on Sustainable, Gender-responsive Return and Reintegration should serve as guide in our ways forward. We have existing reintegration frameworks, papers, and best practices that we can utilize to inform and improve our reintegration policies and practices for the returned OFWs. 

But this report is expected to reinforce our strategies and approaches for how migration actors move forward from recovery from the pandemic, and and thus contribute to the progress of the Philippines as a Champion Country of the Global Compact for Migration.  

For the UN Philippines, this report will contribute to the Common Country Analysis being undertaken by the UN Country Team to inform our strategy for the coming year. 

I look forward to reading the full report.  

I thank all of you who have participated in this launch event for your time and interest in the report. And I appreciate the representation of all relevant sectors: government, academe, CSOs, faith-based groups, international community, private sector, and OFWs. 

I would like to end by saying what we all believe but bears repeating at every opportunity. OFWs are more than people needing help. They are a strong group of people who have much to contribute to the economy and society.