16 December 2016 – The Philippine Embassy in Dhaka organized a Townhall Meeting on Overseas Migrant Concerns for the Filipino community in Dhaka, Bangladesh at Splash, The Weston Dhaka on December 09.

The Philippine delegates to the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) were present as the resource speakers for the above activity headed by Undersecretary Jesus I. Yabes of the Office of Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The Filipino community raised their concerns on Philippine immigration and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) services after the Philippine delegation delivered a presentation on the agencies in charge of overseas Filipinos’ concerns.

Philippine Ambassador to Bangladesh Vicente Vivencio T. Bandillo opened the program and gave a brief profile of the Filipinos in Bangladesh. Undersecretary Yabes afterwards gave a speech focusing on the history of Filipinos migrating abroad: the reasons for migrating and the sacrifices made to leave families in the Philippines.

Ms. Tanya Faye Ramiro from OUMWA delivered a presentation on DFA, POEA, OWWA and Social Security System (SSS) services.  Concerns regarding Philippine immigration policies were raise during the open forum that followed.

Department Legislative Liaison Unit (DLLU) Assistant Secretary Grace R. Princesa, Minister and Consul General Enrico Fos of the Philippine Permanent Mission in Geneva and other OUMWA personnel from the DFA, particularly Ms. Hannah Naomi S. dela Cruz and Aisha M. Turingan, were also present to share their views on the issues discussed during the Townhall Meeting. END