Boracay, The Philippines – The Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) joined the delegation of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in hosting and organizing the Midterm Review and Strategic Planning of the ASEAN Labour Ministers’ (ALM) Work Programme 2021 to 2025 and Related Events at Belmont Hotel, Boracay Island, Aklan, from July 4 to 7, 2023.

The ILS delegation was headed by OIC-Executive Director Jeannette T. Damo, together with Mr. Bernard Paul M. Mangulabnan, Supervising Labor and Employment Officer, and Senior Labor and Employment Officers Ms. Franchesca Rose S. Castillo and Ms. Jan Danielle R. Bondad. The ILS team served as secretariat and hosts during the four-day event.

The highlights of the event included the launching of the audio-visual campaign on Safe and Fair Migration in the ASEAN region; the launching of the ASEAN Employment Outlook; the series of assessments, planning workshops, and partnership sessions participated by senior-level delegates from ASEAN member states. Moving forward, the activity will serve as an opportunity in the preparation of possible inputs to the post-2025 ASEAN Community Vision and crafting of appropriate mechanics for the conduct of workshop and strategic planning activities to strengthen cooperation and foster dialogues among ASEAN member states and partners.

The ASEAN Magazine recently published an interview with DOLE Secretary and Chair of the ASEAN Labour Ministers Meeting Bienvenido E. Laguesma. In his interview, Secretary Laguesma underscored the initiatives of DOLE in campaigning for public awareness to protect the rights and improve the welfare of migrant workers in the ASEAN region.

Since 2020, the ILS has been instrumental in the implementation of related activities for the Public Campaign Project for Safe and Fair Migration through Administrative Order No. 07-A, s. 2020, specifically, the production of the video on the subject matter. ILS provided technical assistance, coordination and representation in regular meetings organized by the DOLE Technical Working Group on Public Campaign on Safe Migration. The said project is part of the implementation of the agreement between DOLE and the International Labour Organization with guidance of the ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers and funded through the Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument.

Read the full interview here: https://theaseanmagazine.asean.org/article/bienvenido-e-laguesma/

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