PHILCOMDEV

PHILIPPINE CONSORTIUM ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT (PHILCOMDEV)

is a network of  thirty-six (36)  non - government  and  people's organizations, microfinance institutions, cooperatives, community based organizations, networks, and individuals who are involved in, and agree to converge their initiatives around the issue of migration, human rights and development - particularly the empowerment of migrants, overseas Filipinos,  their  families and  communities  as social development actors,  addressing the social costs  of migration, optimizing  the benefits  of  migration, and contributing to people-oriented Philippine development.

Its formation was initiated by three leading networks, the Migrant Forum in Asia - Philippines (MFA-PHILS), the International Network of Alternative Financial Institutions - Philippines  (INAFI-PHILS) and the Philippine Social

Enterprises  Network  (PHILSEN).    The  organizing conference was held in January 4, 2007 and the First General Assembly in June 18, 2007.

UNITY STATEMENT[1]

AWARE that more than 8 million Filipinos are working or living overseas, constituting about 10% of the Philippine population, and supporting about 40 million Filipinos or nearly half of the population. Migrant workers constitute about 22% of the Philippine labor force. The livelihoods of a significant portion of the population, and the country's economy as a whole, have become increasingly dependent on migration and migrants' remittances.

AFFIRMING that mobility and migration for work are human rights, and that international migration is a growing and intensifying phenomenon. Overseas Filipinos are found in more than 130 countries; therefore, Filipinos are not only cross-border workers but also transnational citizens who have economic, social and political integration concerns in the host countries, as well as reintegration and citizenship interests back in the Philippines.

COGNIZANT of the multi-dimensionality of international migration - of its economic, social, political, cultural and various aspects, as well as its positive and negative dimensions. Both the sending and receiving countries don't only benefit from the presence and contributions of migrants, but also bear serious costs and consequences. In addition to the immediate abuses, exploitation and oppression of migrants especially women and the undocumented, there are also long-term social costs, problems and challenges confronting the migrants, immigrants, their families, dependents and communities.

CONSCIOUS of the strategic development potentials and roles of migrants and overseas Filipinos. More than US$10billion are remitted and donated through formal channels by our land- and sea-based migrants and overseas Filipinos every year; several billions more are sent through informal channels. These remittances are several times greater than the total foreign direct investments (FDIs) or overseas development aid (ODAs) received by the Philippines each year.

BELIEVING that it is incumbent upon us to harness the development potentials of international migration, including "brain gain", and use these potentials to minimize the social and economic costs of migration, contribute to the long-term economic development of the Philippines, and help create the conditions so that overseas work becomes an option rather than a necessity. All these efforts should be premised on the values of social justice, respect for human rights, and gender equality.

EMPHASIZING the need to continue providing venues for active discussion of issues, concerns, strategies and alternatives related to migration and development, and in developing joint advocacy for policy reforms, services and mechanisms;

RECOGNIZING that we need to continue gathering the broadest support of migrants and advocates on migration and development concerns, particularly the economic empowerment of migrants, the harnessing of the development potential of overseas Filipinos (OFs), and addressing the social costs of migration;

THEREFORE, WE, the 58 participants representing 36 NGOs, organizations and advocates actively working for the involvement, participation and re-integration of migrants and their families, have convened this conference aimed at linking, coordinating and upscaling the programs, strategies and services related to migration and development.

WE HEREBY RESOLVE:

1. To form the Philippine Consortium on Migration and Development (Philcomdev) as a network of non-government organizations, people's organizations, microfinance institutions, cooperatives, community based organizations, networks, and individuals that are involved in, and agree to converge their initiatives around, the issue of migration, human rights and development - particularly the empowerment of migrants, overseas Filipinos, their families and communities as social development actors, addressing the social costs of migration, optimizing the benefits of migration, and contributing to people-oriented Philippine development.

2. To pursue the following strategies:

2.1 Advocate and mainstream a migration-and-development agenda that creates conditions that reduce the pressure for outmigration and covers the multifarious aspects of international migration (economic, social, migrants' rights and welfare), and that is supported by the key stakeholders;

2.2 Support and promote the development of mechanisms that will upscale migrant and diaspora savings, investment and philanthropy;

2.3 Support and promote the development and upscaling of social enterprises especially in key strategic industries in the provinces for investment of migrants and Overseas Filipinos;

2.4 Support and strengthen actions and initiatives that address the social cost of migration on the Overseas Filipinos and the families left behind.

To do these, we will:

Þ Promote and develop mechanisms to upscale OF savings and investments for development in partnership with financial institutions and relevant stakeholders; and

Þ Mobilize, pool and manage donations of OFs and grants of development agencies for the development and upscaling of social enterprises and related services that impact OFs and families and communities.

3. To advocate for the following migrants' agenda:

3.1. Creation of a National Migration and Development Forum that involves NGOs, government, business, academe; the Forum shall put forward the development agenda of the migrants, Overseas Filipinos, their families and communities;

3.2 The adoption by the government and other stakeholders of rights-based, gender-sensitive mechanisms and programs in support of migrants' savings, investments, and philanthropic donations - including the provision by the government of tax incentives to Overseas Filipino investors and coherent enabling environment for migrants' savings and investments to prosper;

3.3 The expansion and institutionalization of programs and services that address the social costs of migration both in the Philippines and receiving countries. Programs furthering people's awareness of the realities, conditions and rights of migrants, especially women, should be propagated.

3.4 The effective representation of migrants and advocates in relevant policy-making processes in both sending and receiving countries; the effective and substantive representation of migrants in the development-related bodies in the Philippines, from the local to the national levels;

3.5 The adoption by the Philippine government of economic policies that give primacy to people-centered and sustainable development. This entails the provision of enabling policies that empower migrants and people to participate in economic development, that support the growth of migrants' and people's investments, that the migration-and-development agenda is incorporated in the national development plan, and that progressively reduces the country's systemic dependence on international migration.

3.6 The immediate adoption of effective and innovative ways to reduce the cost of remittances, so that the country benefits from higher remittance inflows at lower transaction costs to migrants and their families; part of the profit derived by companies from remittances should be channeled to community development or local social services;

3.7 The adherence by governments of developed countries to their commitments to the Millennium Development Goals, specifically the allocation of 0.7% of their GDP for development assistance; to cancellation by lending countries of unjust debts of poor countries; the ratification by all countries, especially in Asia, of United Nations and ILO human rights conventions relevant to migrant workers;

3.8 The adoption of "compensation schemes" whereby developed countries which draw and use the skilled labor from developing countries provide some form of compensation to offset the effects of brain drain.

4. To strengthen SOCIAL ENTERPRISE NETWORKS and to build the capacities of stakeholders in enterprise development. This will include:

4.1 Highlighting social enterprises that could be replicated and upscaled for investment of overseas Filipinos.

4.2 Setting up a database of information of social enterprises, hometown associations abroad, pool of Overseas Filipino experts and other relevant information.

4.3 Creating a pool of organizations and experts that will provide financial literacy, technical assistance, business advice, and marketing support to overseas Filipinos.

4.4 Providing assistance in the reintegration of the OFWs.

4.5 Forming a GO-NGO Working Group to discuss economic projects that can be supported jointly or through partnerships. Government agencies with programs with overseas Filipinos that should be included are: Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment (OWWA and POEA), Commission on Filipinos Overseas, Department of Trade and Industry, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Landbank, Small Business Guarantee Finance Corporation, Quedancor, Asian Development Bank and Development Bank of the Philippines.

4.6 Encouraging partnerships and joint ventures among PHILCOMDEV members to be able to upscale and enhance the impacts of their development projects and social enterprises;

4.7 Helping coordinate research on the impacts of migration and development, and disseminating information to promote public awareness of the development potentials of overseas Filipinos.

4.8 Promoting joint trade and investment roadshows involving NGOs, GOs and other stakeholders.

5. Promote and develop mechanisms to upscale OF savings and investments for development in partnership with financial institutions and relevant stakeholders; and

Mobilize, pool and manage donations of OFs and grants of development agencies for the development and upscaling of social enterprises and related services that impact OFs and families and communities

5.1 Assist in the creation of savings mechanisms to increase OF savings and investment in partnership with government and commercial banks;

5.2 Launch coordinated campaign to direct diaspora philanthropy especially of hometown associations and link them to social enterprises in their communities;

5.3 Advocate with development agencies and LGUs for them to provide matching funds for overseas Filipino savings, donations and investments;

5.4 Strengthen microfinance institutions that will provide migrants and their relatives with access to microfinance services and business training so that these services can help them use remittances productively, as well as bolster their entrepreneurial activities.

[1] Drawn up during the Organizing Conference of January 4, 2007, finalized and adopted by the General Assembly of June 19, 2007.