IOM Director General William Lacy Swing arrived in the Philippines
on 31 August 2011 where he met the Philippine Vice President
Jejomar Binay to discuss IOM's role in addressing the plight of
Filipino migrants caught in conflict situations.
Thousands of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have been forced
to return home since the Libya crisis began, with several still
stranded in the country. Meantime, the escalating crisis in Syria
means that many OFWs there may also require repatriation
assistance.
So far, IOM has helped over 600 vulnerable Filipino migrant
workers flee violence in Libya. Recently, 36 OFWs were among
hundreds of other migrants who left Tripoli on board an
IOM-chartered boat.
Mr. Swing reiterated IOM's commitment to help migrants return
home in a safe and dignified manner.
IOM has extensive experience in evacuating Filipinos and other
foreign nationals from war-stricken countries. In 2006, the
organization helped to repatriate about 3,600 Filipinos out of
Lebanon. IOM also assisted in the voluntary repatriation of
thousands of OFWs during the Gulf War in 1991.
"IOM in the Philippines is also exploring the possibility of
reintegration programmes for migrant returnees, especially those
displaced by wars or economic downturns," said IOM Philippines
Chief of Mission Ovais Sarmad.
Aside from meeting with Vice President Binay, Mr. Swing also met
with Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice President Ursula
Schaefer-Preuss to discuss the strengthening of the institutional
relationship between IOM and ADB and the possibility of ADB getting
observer status in IOM's Council.
IOM and the Government of the Philippines have over three
decades of partnership in several fields of migration including
labour migration, migration management, migration and development,
counter-trafficking and emergency response.
Aside from the IOM country mission, the Philippines is also home
to the Manila Administrative Centre, which provides global support
to the Organization.
For more information, please contact:
Friena Guerrero
IOM Philippines
Tel: + 63 (2) 230 -1608
E-mail:
"mailto:fguerrero@iom.int">fguerrero@iom.int