The Philippines is committed to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Canada in promoting the rights of migrant workers and the welfare of women.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. made the remarks during the ASEAN-Canada Commemorative Summit held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Mr. Marcos also highlighted the support of Canada for the TRIANGLE in ASEAN project which promotes fair migration in the region.
According to the ILO, the TRIANGLE in the ASEAN program will “create a suite of policies, tools, and services that enhance the contribution of labor migration to stable and inclusive growth and development.”
“The project has promoted labor mobility across the region along with the improvement of working conditions and labor protection policies, particularly for low-paid migrant workers,” Marcos, quoted by a GMA News report, said
Mr. Marcos also thanked the people of Canada for extending kindness to the over 900,000 Filipinos staying in their country.
“Canada is considered home by over 900,000 fellow Filipinos, and may I say that I have experience of the stories that these people tell me and it is that they have been assimilated into society and into the workforce so smoothly,” he said.
He also said the Philippines welcomes the continued support of Canada for ASEAN initiatives for women’s welfare such as the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).
He said the initiatives aim to support the upskilling of women and empowering women entrepreneurship, particularly of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in ASEAN, adding that women stand to benefit from Canada’s support for ASEAN’s digital transformation efforts that are inclusive and enable women to participate in the region’s development.
The President also shook hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the Bilateral meeting Sunday afternoon.
Earlier this year, Canada announced that it will be accepting more Filipino immigrants and workers.
In the same speech, Mr. Marcos vowed to work with the ASEAN and Canada to deliver on its commitment to protect and promote migrant workers’ rights through various initiatives.
Trudeau, in his intervention, announced his country will host a Jakarta-based series of WPS dialogues with ASEAN in 2023, in line with ASEAN’s Regional Plan of Action on WPS.
This builds on Canada’s 2021 flagship initiative “Empowering women for sustainable peace: preventing violence and promoting social cohesion in ASEAN,” which was designed to advance WPS priorities, such as ensuring women can participate equally with men in decision-making, including in matters of peace and security.
The dialogue series will engage Canadian civil society and non-governmental organizations and provide a platform for discussions on the m WPS agenda in ASEAN and other priorities, such as enhancing the role of women in political leadership.
“WPS is a shared priority for Canada and ASEAN and is a core element of Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy to achieve sustainable global peace, respect human rights and dignity, embrace evidence-based decision-making, and reduce inequality,” Trudeau’s official website read.