New York, September 26 (AseanAll) — “Migration is a Philippine reality,” Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro said, highlighting the scale of the Filipino diaspora and noting that many Filipinos abroad consider their host countries their “second homes.”
Lazaro made the remarks at the high-level side event on “Forging Alliances: Strengthening Collaboration Along Migration Routes” held on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
“As a Champion country of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, the Philippines is committed to protecting, promoting and fulfilling the human rights of migrants throughout their migration journey,” she stressed.
Reflecting this commitment, the Philippines established the Department of Migrant Workers in 2022, a landmark institutional effort that strengthened the country’s migration governance and reinforced the protection and welfare of Filipino migrants.
At the regional level, Lazaro highlighted the Philippines’ active engagement in key migration platforms, including the Bali Process, the Colombo Process, and the Abu Dhabi Dialogue. The country has also led ASEAN discussions on safe labor pathways, climate-migration nexus, and human rights, while supporting capacity-building initiatives with partners in Africa.
While the Philippines has made significant progress in strengthening migration governance, Secretary Lazaro acknowledged that gaps persist and stressed the need for greater international cooperation.
“No country can address these challenges alone. This is why collective action, grounded in shared responsibility, is essential,” she said, calling for stronger cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination.
“The Philippines stands ready to cooperate on stronger action against smuggling and trafficking, better return and reintegration systems, expanded legal and digital identity, necessary legal reforms, and efforts to reduce irregular migration,” she added.
The side event was convened by the UN Migration Network in partnership with the Republic of Azerbaijan, Guatemala and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It brought together ministers from countries of origin, transit and destination, alongside representatives of the United Nations and other stakeholders, to exchange perspectives on practical approaches to strengthening cooperation along migration routes and advancing implementation of the commitments adopted at the second International Migration Review Forum.
