MANILA, Philippines – The government will push for better working conditions for Filipinos employed abroad.
Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said the Philippines continues to lead global deployment of skilled workers as affirmed by the $5.4-billion remittance from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“The global dollar remittances of OFWs reached $5.4 billion from January to April this year, which affirms the leadership of the Philippines in the sphere of productive global migration and the distinct global preference for skilled and semi-skilled OFWs,” he said.
Roque said during the first five months of this year alone, some 516,466 documented OFWs have been deployed in more than 190 countries.
The country will be joining 24 other countries in the first annual Transatlantic Forum on Migration and Integration (TFMI) scheduled on July 9 to 13 in Germany, he added.
Roque said forum participants would tackle the important issues of overseas migration.
“Specifically, the initiative of the German Marshall Fund in the United States to organize the forum also demonstrates the global importance of migration, in which the Philippines continues to have a leading and productive part,” he said.
Through the forum, the Philippines, particularly the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), hopes to contribute to the greater understanding of immigration and integration issues and promote effective bilateral cooperation, Roque said. – Mayen Jaymalin