EU extends aid for migration management in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will be one of the four beneficiaries in the P86-million financing from the European Union to manage migration flows.

The Project on Enhancing Laor Migration Management Systems in Asia, which would be implemented by the International Organization for Migration  in cooperation wih UN Women and the Department of Labor and Employment in the Philippines, seeks to "support the government's program to encourage the recruitment industry to adopt ethical practices," and to "intensify the campaign against illegal recruitment, trafficking and irregular migration, especially to Europe, " among others.

"The EU's support reaffirms its commitment to cooperate with the Philippines in the area of migration," EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux said.

Of the total funding for the project, the Philippines will get P16 million.

The project also builds on the Campaign Against Illegal Recruitment, Trafficking and Irregular Migration (CAIRTIM) implemented by the IOM with the DOLE and the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency.

DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz thanked the EU for supporting the project.

"The technical assistance we receive from our development partners like the EU and IOM in institutional capacity building, pilot project launching, replication, training of duty bearers and stakeholders, tools development and sometimes, even direct services, significantly supplement the energies and resources we devote to our regular services," said Baldoz.

"The added-value of this project is to support employment generation and to promote productive socio-economic initiatives among migrant workers which will enable them to contribute to the economic development of their respective countries," she added.

The other beneficiaries of the project are Bangladesh, Indonesia and Nepal .