Aquino said the Philippines looks forward to greater economic development when regional integration comes in 2015. He said, though, that economic development should not come at the expense of the welfare of people in the ASEAN, whether they are tourists, entrepreneurs, investors, or workers.
“This is an especially compelling issue for the Philippine government, as we have always sought to protect the welfare of the millions of Filipinos who are today working in other countries,” he said.
He urged other leaders at the summit “to commit to completing an ASEAN instrument on the protection and promotion of the rights of migrant workers” before 2015 to ensure decent working conditions for migrant workers in time for ASEAN integration.
According to data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Singapore and Malaysia were among the top 10 destinations for overseas Filipino workers as of 2012.
The POEA listed 172,690 OFWs deployed to Singapore that year while 38,407 Filipino migrant workers were sent to Malaysia.
Aquino also warned that although regional integration will mean more mobility within ASEAN, “this must not redound to greater opportunities for human trafficking to take place.”
“I firmly believe that human trafficking can cease to exist with a determined effort from all involved—whether those known as sending, receiving, or transiting countries,” the president said. — JDS, GMA News
