The Committee on Migration and Development (CMD) of the Regional Development Council (RDC) conducted a technical group (TWG) workshop on April 14 to 15 at  Hotel Villa Angelina, Legazpi City, to identify issues and concerns on database development, pre-departure needs, investment opportunities, and advocacy  as well as  draft action plans to address these issues and concerns.

Mr. Donald James D. Gawe of the NEDA Regional Office (NRO)  IV-A was invited to share best practices of CALABARZON on mainstreaming M&D issues on local development plans.

The event was  attended by 49 participants from regional line agencies (DILG, DOH, DOJ, DOLE, DSWD, DTI, NEDA, NRCO, OWWA, PIA, POEA, POPCOM, PSA, NYC, and TESDA), Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) organizations, local government units (LGUs), PESO managers, and nongovernment organizations (NGOs).

The workshop highlighted the need to establish centers for migration in each LGUs to provide OFWs and their families the relevant information, resources, and services from pre-departure to reintegration.

Workshop outputs will be presented to the CMD for adoption and disposition. A regional stakeholders forum will also be conducted to generate aspirations of overseas Filipinos and their families in the context of M & D and the Migrant Workers Act and as inputs in mainstreaming M & D in the successor regional development plan.