MANILA, Philippines – Nangako si Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, na umupo bilang chairman ng Abu Dhabi Dialogue, na pangungunahan nito ang international organization sa pagprotekta sa karapatan ng mga dayuhang manggagawa sa Middle East.
“The Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD) presents itself as the proper venue to take up all policies and concerns about safe, ethical, and sustainable labor mobility,” sinabi ni Cacdac kasabay ng 8th Abu Dhabi Ministerial Consultation na inorganisa ng UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) ngayong buwan.
Aniya, ito ay isang perfect venue “given that 60 to 70 percent of our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are here in the Gulf.”
“It’s the perfect time and place, especially in this high era of shared responsibility and cooperation among nations,” ayon pa kay Cacdac.
Hahawakan ni Cacdac ang ADD chairmanship hanggang sa susunod na taon.
Ang ADD ay isang voluntary at non-binding inter-government consultative body na binuo ng UAE noong 2008 kasama ang pitong Asiancountries ng labor destination, ito ay ang Bahrain, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, at UAE; at 11 countries of origin. Ito ay ang Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Pilipinas, Sri Lanka, Thailand, at Vietnam.
Kabilang naman sa regular observers nito ang International Organization for Migration (IOM), at International Labor Organization (ILO).
Layong tugunan ng ADD ang mga pangamba sa high level of interdependence sa temporary migrant laborers sa Gulf countries sa nakalipas na dalawa at kalahating dekada.
“Gulf countries host the world’s highest proportion of foreign workers to all workers (35.6%)—or 11.7% of all migrant workers worldwide. The proportion of foreign-born workers in the GCC ranges from approximately 30% to 90%. Workers of Asian origin consequently play a highly significant role in the economies of the Gulf and have contributed to the rapid development that has taken place in the GCC over the last 25 years through their skills, knowledge, and hard work,” ayon sa ADD. RNT/JGC
