ASEAN to promote rights of migrant workers
Member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to sign a consensus which promotes and protects the rights of migrant workers during the 31st Summit of the 50-year-old regional bloc in Manila and Clark, Pampanga next week.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan said the signing will be one of the highlights on ASEAN’s 31st Summit.
“One important agreement na magkakaroon ay magkakaroon tayo ng kasunduan o (we will have is that we will have an agreement or) consensus on the right of migrant workers,” Ablan said in an interview over state-run PTV-4 Thursday morning.
According to Ablan, the said agreement is important as this will protect and promote the rights of all migrant workers in the region.
“This is a big step. Kung meron tayong mga domestic helpers, professionals na pupunta ng Malaysia, pupunta ng Indonesia at in the same way na may mga pumunta dito (If we have domestic helpers, professionals who want to go to work outside their home countries), their rights as migrant workers will be protected,” Ablan explained.
These rights include the migrant workers’ healthcare, protection, and security, among others, according to Ablan.
“The consensus is a landmark document that reflects promise to strengthen social protection, access to justice, humane and fair treatment and access to health services of our region’s migrant works,” Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) administrator Hans Cacdac said.
He said this will also ensure the protection of migrant workers from illegal recruitment.
Under the accord, ASEAN member states will be required “to come up with an action plan for implementation of its provisions and identify best practices” in relation to improving the welfare of migrant workers.
“Member-states shall likewise report on the status of implementation of the consensus,” Cacdac said
The ASEAN Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers was first endorsed by the Ministers of the ASEAN SocioCultural Community (ASCC) Council in Tagaytay last September.
In the ASEAN website, the ASEAN Consensus is said to have brought brought regional cooperation to greater heights in building a people-centered, people-oriented community, since the signing of the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers in 2007.
“The many years of tireless negotiations have brought to fore many issues surrounding labor migration and enabled member states to better understand one another and work out solutions towards better protection and promotion of rights of our migrant workers,” Deputy Secretary-General for ASCC Vongthep Arthakaivalvatee said.
Meanwhile, ASEAN leaders are also set to adopt the ASEAN Declaration on ‘Culture of Prevention’ for a Peaceful, Inclusive, Resilient, Healthy and Harmonious Society at the Summit next week.
The “Culture of Prevention” is a new initiative pioneered by the ASCC which catalyses the transformation of mind sets in addressing root causes of cross-cutting problems from “business as usual” approach into innovative, proactive and responsive mode.
The Philippine hosting of the 31st ASEAN Summit is held just two days after the culminating of the 2017 AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Da Nang, Vietman.
During the 31st Summit, a turnover ceremony will also be held. Singapore is set to host the 2018 ASEAN Summit and related meetings. (With a report from Samuel P. Medenilla)