PHL Ambassador Participates in the Bahrain National Consultations in Preparation for the UN Global Compact for Migration

Philippine Ambassador Alfonso A. Ver (seated 5th from left) with Ambassadors and representatives of Embassies of labor-sending countries to Bahrain as well as other representatives from government and NGOs involved in labor migration, and, the IOM, during the National Consultations of Bahrain for the UN Global Compact for Migration held on 27 November 2017.

05 December 2017 MANAMA — Philippine Ambassador Alfonso A. Ver participated in the National Consultations for the UN Global Compact for Migration conducted by the Kingdom of Bahrain on November 27. Bahrain presented its recently-introduced “Flexi-Visa Program” which allows previously illegal migrants into regular work permit holders and become their own contractors/employers/sponsors. Bahrain hopes that this could be considered as its contribution to the GCFM’s best practices in improving labor migration.

Ambassador Ver cited the synergies that could be obtained from the partnership of a labor-sending country in this case the Philippines – as the model for the management of labor deployment, and, a labor-receiving country, i.e. Bahrain -which in turn is a model of labor migration reform in the GCC. He also recalled the recently-concluded discussion forum the Flexi-Visa co-sponsored by the Philippines and Bahrain during the ESAP Regional Preparatory Meeting of the GCFM held at the UN ESCAP headquarters in Bangkok on November 07-08.

Moreover, Ambassador Ver offered to help Bahrain in its information dissemination efforts, by inviting Filipinos who have successfully obtained the Flexi-Visa to become spokespersons for the Filipino community, tap social media and to translate the information materials into the Filipino language. END

For more information, visit www.manamape.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/Pasuguan-ng-Pilipinas-sa-Kaharian-ng-Bahrain-149811622057841/.