A DAVAO-based migrant organization is set to hold a public forum on December 14 at the Ateneo de Davao University in a bid to raise the issues of migrant workers and seek government's help.
Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions Inc. executive director Inorisa Sialana-Elento said on Monday, December 5, during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at The Annex of SM City Davao, the event will start at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in celebration of the International Migrants Day.
She added around 500 migrant stakeholders will attend to share their common experiences for appropriate actions to be taken. The event is also in partnership with Office of the Presidential Peace adviser. They expect Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to grace the activity.
One of the agenda they will raise, according to Elento, is the Comprehensive Agreement Socio-Economic Reforms since migrants are also workers and they are part of the affected citizens. They will also tackle the peace and the welfare of the family especially the children of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“The peace for them is a safe environment for their families who are left in the country,” Elento said, adding they want to institutionalize the well-being of the OFWs and aim to strengthen the laws concerning the migrants and seek enough budget to sustain their needs.
The group also aims to “reorient” the officials of agencies on some complaints about their attitude towards the migrants.
“These are the agenda that we want to push,” she said.