The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Philippines and New Zealand agreed to further strengthen ties on migrant labor by advocating for safer, more responsible hiring and protection for Filipino workers.
At the recent Philippines-New Zealand Friendship Week celebration, Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their New Zealand employers agreed to reinforce labor ties as the two countries marked 60 years of diplomatic relations.
“We are carrying on, bolstering, emphasizing, highlighting today the friendship that had long been established before us,” Sec. Cacdac said. “This milestone reflects six decades of our cooperation and shared commitment to the welfare and dignity of our peoples.”
The secretary cited the signed Memorandum of Agreement on Labor Cooperation in 2008, and the Agreement on Principles and Controls for Recruiting and Safeguarding Filipino Workers in New Zealand signed in 2015, which laid the foundations for the two countries’ labor partnership.
He said the agreements depict the shared commitment to ethical and responsible recruitment, compliance with both countries’ laws, and protection of Filipino workers throughout migration and employment.
The two countries are also looking at enhancing cooperation on safe labor mobility, regular migration pathways, and anti-human trafficking efforts.
The DMW chief said this bilateral relationship has grown in depth and substance, shaped by broader engagement in the Asia-Pacific and by their shared commitment to regional cooperation, including through Asean.
“The Philippines and New Zealand have consistently sought to ensure that labor mobility is conducted in an orderly, responsible, and mutually beneficial manner, with regard for workers’ rights, welfare, and dignity,” Cacdac said.
More than 100,000 Filipinos live in New Zealand as healthcare professionals, skilled workers, educators, and tradespeople, serving as “living bridges of the friendship” between the two nations, as they strengthen cultural understanding, economic cooperation, and social ties.
Ambassador Catherine Rosemary McIntosh also underscored Filipino migrants’ contribution to New Zealand society.
“Filipinos are one of New Zealand’s largest and fastest-growing migrant communities. Their dedication, talent, and hard work enrich our workplaces [and communities, while contributing to sectors vital to our] economy, including healthcare, aged care, agriculture, horticulture, construction, hospitality, and education. The list goes on…” she said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine envoy to New Zealand Kira Christianne Azucena said the Philippine government remains focused on the welfare of Filipinos in the Oceanic country, including migrant workers, students, and permanent residents.
“We are grateful for the cooperation of the New Zealand government and its agencies in ensuring that our kababayans are treated fairly, with dignity and respect, and are supported in building safe and fulfilling lives [there] together with their families,” Azucena said.
Sec. Cacdac said both countries’ efforts to strengthen labor cooperation should also focus on workers’ welfare rather than deployment numbers alone.
“Success of labor migration should not be measured only by the number of workers abroad,” he explained. “It should be measured by whether these opportunities are decent, fair, safe, and empowering, and whether workers can contribute to their host communities while enjoying the protection and respect they so deserve alongside harmonious relations with their employers.”
A son of a former OFW, Cacdac recalled Filipino families’ hopes and aspirations when a member decides to work abroad. He noted that such decisions can bring “hopes and dreams, aspirations, and fulfillment.”