First Inter-Agency Consultation Meeting on Strengthening Bilateral Labor Agreements for All Healthcare WorkersHeld in Manila

DFA Assistant Secretary Robert O. Ferrer Jr., (middle), DOH Undersecretary Kenneth Ronquilo (sixth from left), DOLE-BLE OIC Undersecretary Paul Vincent W. Añover (fifth from left),   DMW Assistant Secretary Mario T. Zinampan (sixth from right), with other officials of the DFA, DOH, DMW, DOLE, NEDA, PRC, and CHED

PASAY 08 April 2024 - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA), led the first inter-agency consultation meeting on strengthening bilateral labor agreements (BLAs) for all healthcare workers on 13 March 2024, with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Complying with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive, DFA-OUMWA convened the inter-agency consultation to harmonize the concerns and interests of relevant government agencies and to explore possible initiatives to address the adverse effects of the decreasing number of healthcare workers in the Philippines, in relation to upholding freedom of movement of human resources for the health sector of labor-receiving countries. 

The meeting also served as a venue for participating agencies to examine local issues in this industry segment and propose solutions, and to explore the possibility that destination countries will also contribute to the development and sustainability of the Philippine health sector. Adhering to the whole-of-government approach, the present government officials renewed their commitment to closely collaborate with one another, with a view to adopting a more cohesive approach on the labor migration of healthcare workers. END