Sec. Locsin Reaffirms Strong Support for Migrants at Meeting With IOM  Director General in New York 

 Left photo:, Secretary Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. (third on the right) is joined by NY Permanent Representative Enrique A. Manalo (fourth on the right), Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola (first on the right), and Geneva Permanent Evan P. Garcia (third on the right) for a bilateral meeting IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino (second on the left)  held on 17 May 2022 (Photos from New York PM).

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, 23 May 2022 - In his official visit to speak at the inaugural International Migration Review Forum, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. and his delegation held a side meeting with Mr. António Vitorino, Director General of the International Organization of Migration (IOM), at the UN Headquarters on 17 May 2022 where the two officials exchanged pledges to continue working together for the benefit of Filipino migrants everywhere.

Director General Vitorino also expressed appreciation for the Philippines’ voluntary and mandatory contributions to various IOM and related funds.

“We want to thank you and tell you about the Bridging Recruitment to Reintegration in Migration Governance (BRIDGE) program, one of our 12 projects in the Philippines that we hope to be successful with the money that the donors put in this fund,” DG Vitorino said.

Secretary Locsin also endorsed the candidature of Migrant Workers Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Y. Arriola who is running for the position of Regional Director for IOM in Asia and the Pacific. 

“She led the expatriation and repatriation of Filipino migrants during the pandemic,” Secretary Locsin said.

The Philippines is a strong advocate of the rights and welfare of migrants everywhere - they are central to Philippine foreign policy. In particular, the Department reaches out to the Middle East to make sure the large number of Filipino migrants there are protected. 

Secretary Locsin continues to advocate for Filipinos overseas, from sponsoring the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) Act when he was a Congress Representative for Makati, to requesting budget increases for programs that benefit overseas Filipinos.

Secretary Locsin and DG Vitorino also discussed how current events are impacting migrants everywhere, including how natural disasters and conflict situations, particularly the ongoing aggression in Ukraine, further exacerbate pre-existing migration-related challenges.

“Climate change is making a huge impact on displacement. There are about 31 million displaced by extreme weather - more than conflict,” said Director General Vitorino. “We will go on insisting that these issues remain on the agenda. They are of common interest to the international community,” he added.

For more information, visit https://www.newyorkpm.dfa.gov.ph  https://www.un.int/philippines  or https://www.facebook.com/PHMissionNY/. END