ANTIQUE – National government agencies and local government units (LGUs) in Antique have formalized a partnership aimed at strengthening the protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) through intensified anti-illegal recruitment and anti-trafficking campaigns and enhanced support services for migrant workers and their families.
The partnership was sealed through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) during the “Convergence on Programs and Services and Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons (AIRTIP) Campaign,” which gathered representatives from key government agencies and local governments across the province.
Signatories to the agreement included officials from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Provincial Government of Antique, and municipal governments.
The agreement seeks to institutionalize coordinated efforts in implementing anti-illegal recruitment and anti-trafficking programs, strengthening OFW help desks, expanding information and education campaigns, and promoting reintegration opportunities for returning migrant workers.
DMW Regional Director Glenda M. Alegonza underscored the importance of collaboration among government agencies and local governments in safeguarding the welfare of migrant workers.
She emphasized the need to intensify anti-illegal recruitment campaigns and ensure that OFWs and their families have access to government services and assistance.
Antique Governor Paolo Everardo S. Javier, meanwhile, reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that protect migrant workers and strengthen inter-agency partnerships.
Javier also urged local officials to sustain programs that promote safe migration, create employment opportunities, and improve the welfare of OFWs and their families.
Joining Alegonza and Javier in signing the MOA were OWWA Region 6 Officer-in-Charge James Mendiola, DOLE Region 6 Assistant Regional Director Melisa Navarra, TESDA Antique Provincial Director Rick M. Abraham, and municipal mayors and their representatives.
Also present during the ceremony were Antique Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Karmila Rose Dimamay, chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Labor and Employment; Antique Provincial Police Office Director PCol. Ryan Devaras; and Integrated Bar of the Philippines–Antique Chapter President Atty. Pevi Mae P. Jalipa.
In her closing message, Jalipa highlighted the importance of legal awareness and community participation in combating illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons, stressing that protecting migrant workers requires a collective effort from government agencies, local officials, and the public.
The initiative forms part of the government’s continuing efforts to promote safe and legal migration while ensuring that OFWs and their families receive adequate support and protection from recruitment-related abuses and human trafficking./PN
