PH, Armenia Seek Closer Cooperation on Protection of Migrant Workers

Ms. Vida Cara, Ms. Catherine Alpay and Mr. Jeffrey Valdez of the Philippine Embassy in Moscow, Mr. Mnatsakan Safaryan, Head of East Asia and Pacific Division of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Albert Taroyan, Philippine Honorary Consul General pose for a photo after a meeting in Yerevan on 30 October 2018. (Moscow PE photo)

YEREVAN 12 November 2018 – To promote the rights and welfare of Filipinos in Armenia, officials of the Philippine Embassy in Moscow and the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs met in Yerevan to discuss the possibility of concluding a bilateral labor agreement that will help protect the interests of migrant workers and their employers.

Embassy Second Secretary and Consul and Economic and Consular Sections head Jeffrey Valdez, along with Third Secretary and Vice Consul and Economic and Consular Sections assistant head Catherine Alpay and Attaché Vida Cara met with Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs East Asia and Pacific Division head Mnatsakan Safaryan

“The Embassy wants to be proactive in extending assistance to Filipinos under its jurisdiction,” said Ambassador to Russia Carlos D. Sorreta. He added, “a bilateral labor agreement is an important step in that direction.”

The initiative was proposed by the Philippine side in view of the increasing number of Filipinos living and working in Armenia in recent years, estimated at about 300.

Mr. Safaryan welcomed the opportunity to cooperate more closely on the issue, citing the Filipino reputation as law-abiding and productive contributors to Armenian society. He added that the Armenian government is also interested in exchanging best practices in protecting nationals abroad as they too have a significant diaspora – Armenia has a population of about 3 million while there are as many as 7 million Armenians living abroad.

Citing government sources, a recent Al Jazeera article report that the number of Filipino tourists visiting Armenia increased from 674 in 2014 to more than 22,000 in 2017. The increasing popularity of Armenia as a tourist destination, especially among Filipinos based in the Middle East, contributed to the growing number of Filipinos settling in the country. END

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