Philippines, Saudi Arabia’s First Virtual Forum on Labor Mobility Reaffirms Duterte Administration’s Legacy of Protection of Overseas Filipinos

Esteemed moderator, officials, discussants, reactors, and speakers  from the Philippine Government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the first virtual forum on Labor Mobility on 20 April 2021 From top left clockwise: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr.,  Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola, Philippine Ambassador Adnan Alonto, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Enrico Fos, Deputy Minister for Inspection and Work Environment Development Sattam Alharbi, Labor Market Regulatory Authority Former Chief Executive Officer Ausamah Abdullah Al Absi, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Chief of Mission Mohamed El Zarkani, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ambassador Abdullah N.A. Al Bussairy, and IOM Chief of Mission Kristin Dadey. (Riyadh PE Photo)

PASAY CITY 24 April 2020 – The Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (DFA-OUMWA), in cooperation with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and the International Organization for Migration, successfully conducted for the first time a virtual forum entitled “Labor Mobility and Human Rights: Examining Migrant Labor Governance in the Middle East in the Context of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM)” on 20 April 2021.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte addressed the forum, reaffirming the Philippines’ commitment to protecting millions of migrant workers around the world. He called for the abolition of the Kafala system, a sponsorship system of migrant workers. 

The forum also highlighted the progressive Labor Reform Initiative rolled out by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last 14 March 2021 which directly benefits around  850,000 Filipinos present in Saudi Arabia by giving them opportunity to transfer to a new employer if a migrant worker has not received a salary for three consecutive months or if the employer has been absent; not allowing employers are to cancel any worker’s valid “Automatic Exit Visa”’ and giving opportunity to migrant workers to transfer employment if their former employers failed to appear in at least two judicial hearings or two amicable settlement hearings.

“We are moving forward to our goal for migrant protection accorded with decency and equal respect,” said Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. in his video message. 

“The Philippine Government will continue to strongly advocate for and work with all partners for the immediate fulfillment of the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration,” added Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola 

The virtual forum was attended by around 200 participants coming from different parts of the world, with over 500 combined live views on the simultaneous public telecasts on the DFA’s Youtube account and the Facebook pages of OFW Help and Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM). END