The Philippines is set to showcase its pioneering approach to migrant protection at the Second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) in May in New York.

In a news release Friday, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the event is conducted in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

In his speech on Thursday, Cacdac touted the country’s progress since the adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) in 2018.

This included the enactment of the DMW Act in 2022, which created the department and reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to safe, orderly and regular migration.

“The DMW has aligned its policies and programs with the 23 GCM objectives to ensure responsive labor migration governance, from pre-deployment orientation to welfare services abroad, and dignified return and reintegration,” Cacdac said.

The GCM is the first intergovernmental, United Nations-negotiated agreement covering international migration.

It is a non-binding, cooperative framework that covers all stages of migration and aims to improve migration management, protect migrants’ rights, and facilitate safe migration.

Cacdac said the country is committed to a full-cycle migration approach, from deployment to reintegration, highlighting initiatives that ensure the safety of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the ongoing regional crisis in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, United Nations Resident Coordinator Arnaud Peral commended the Philippines for its leadership in advancing migrant rights.

“What the Philippines is doing makes the Global Compact for Migration come alive, through its legal framework and strong public-private partnerships,” he said.

“This is something unique that inspires global admiration. It reflects a strong institutional framework and the highest level of political will to welcome migrants home and support their reintegration,” he added. (PNA)