THE portability of social security benefits for migrant workers may be among the issues to be tackled during the 40th and 41st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summits next month.
This, after Asean labor officials endorsed for the upcoming summits on Nov. 10 to 13 the adoption of a declaration for the said policy.
“The Declaration highlights Asean Member States’ commitment for smooth and fair transition of social security benefits that migrant workers are entitled from countries of employment to their home countries,” the Asean Labor Ministers said in a Joint Communique, finalized during their meeting last Friday.
The meeting, chaired by Labor and Employment Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma, was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bonifacio Global City.
If approved, the declaration will become the Asean guidelines for the implementation of the portability of social security benefits.
It will also support the enforcement of the Asean Consensus on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers Consensus.
Aside from the endorsed declaration, the 27th Asean Labor Ministers’ Meeting (ALMM) last week discussed the promotion of information and communication technology (ICT) and digitalization in operationalizing the Asean Comprehensive Recovery Framework.
They also talked about reforms in the Asean human resources development systems to ensure workers will possess “future skills” required by industries.
Also tackled was the modernization of agriculture to ensure food security and help generate more jobs in Asean.
The member states supported the 2-year agenda of the Philippines to modernize the agriculture sector through initiatives, which will be aligned with the Asean Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework and Strategic Plan of Action on Food Security 2015 to 2020.
“Focusing on agriculture will not only help us address hunger but also expand employment and lift many out of poverty,” Laguesma said.
Asean’s labor chiefs pitch portability for migrant worker perks
Source: News Paper Radio
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