In celebration of the 30th Migrant Workers’ Day on 07 June 2025, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) joined the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to institutionalize a more robust, rights-based framework for the protection and empowerment of Filipino migrant workers and their families.

The partnership aims to strengthen human rights protection through increased awareness efforts, the provision of free legal and psychosocial services via legal clinic caravans, and the delivery of timely assistance in cases involving abuse, exploitation, or trafficking.

It also includes mechanisms for joint quick response operations in the event of human rights violations, collaborative research and policy development to inform new programs, and inclusive consultations to ensure that Filipino migrant workers’ voices are meaningfully represented in policymaking.

CHR Chairperson Richard P. Palpal-latoc underscored the invaluable contributions of Filipino migrant workers and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to upholding their rights in both principle and practice.

“Allow me to reaffirm that the Commission on Human Rights is steadfast in its commitment to ensure that Filipino migrant workers are not forgotten and left behind—but recognized, celebrated, and protected. Their rights are not mere declarations and principles on paper. Instead, these are acknowledged, exercised, and upheld at all times,” Chairperson Palpal-latoc said.

Meanwhile, DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac emphasized the importance of a rights-based approach in ensuring the welfare of migrant workers.

“[P]agsulong ng karapatan ng OFWs, iyan ay likas sa bawat tao—ang karapatang pantao. Kaya’t kailangang galangin at respetuhin, at kung nilabag, kailangan maghanap ng solusyon o remedyo,” Secretary Cacdac said.

As the country’s independent national human rights institution, the CHR reaffirms its Constitutional mandate to uphold, protect, and promote the rights and dignity of all Filipinos—including the millions of Filipino migrant workers whose hard work and sacrifice strengthen both their families and the nation’s economic growth.

The Commission believes that Filipino migrant workers, as our modern-day heroes, deserve not only recognition but also tangible, sustainable programs that ensure their protection and meaningful participation in nation-building. ###