CHR, DMW ink agreement for migrant workers protection

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) joined the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in signing a memorandum of agreement to institutionalize a more robust, rights-based framework for the protection and empowerment of Filipino migrant workers and their families in celebration of the 30th Migrant Workers' Day on June 7, 2025.

The partnership aims to strengthen human rights protection through increased awareness efforts, the provision of free legal and psychosocial services via legal clinic caravans and the delivery of timely assistance in cases involving abuse, exploitation or trafficking.

It also includes mechanisms for joint quick response operations in the event of human rights violations, collaborative research and policy development to inform new programs as well as inclusive consultations to ensure that Filipino migrant workers' voices are meaningfully represented in policymaking.

CHR Chairman Richard Palpal-latoc underscored the invaluable contributions of Filipino migrant workers and reaffirmed the commission's commitment to upholding their rights in both principle and practice.

"Allow me to reaffirm that the Commission on Human Rights is steadfast in its commitment to ensure that Filipino migrant workers are not forgotten and left behind – but recognized, celebrated and protected. Their rights are not mere declarations and principles on paper. Instead, these are acknowledged, exercised, and upheld at all times," Palpal-latoc said.

Meanwhile, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac emphasized the importance of a rights-based approach in ensuring the welfare of migrant workers.

"[P]roviding the rights of OFWs, that is inherent in every person – human rights. Therefore, they must be honored and respected, and if violated, a solution or remedy must be found," Cacdac said in Filipino. As the country's independent national human rights institution, CHR reaffirms its constitutional mandate to uphold, protect and promote the rights and dignity of all Filipinos – including the millions of Filipino migrant workers whose hard work and sacrifice strengthen both their families and the nation's economic growth.CHR believes that Filipino migrant workers, as modern-day heroes, deserve not only recognition but also tangible, sustainable programs that ensure their protection and meaningful participation in nation-building.