Dear Friends,

500 representatives from Global migrants groups and trade unions converged at the Rajah Sulayman Park for a symbolic march to the new PGA venue, the Malate Catholic School. 25th of October 2008 marked the day when members of global CSOs, trade unions, mgirant organizations converged after a series of self organized activities on migration development. They all marched to Korean drumbeats, chanting slogans like: "Migrants Rights are Human Rights!", "EU Directiba ibasura!" (Junk EU Return Directive!) and waving banners stating their calls for the protection of migrants in different languages.

These self organized activiites included:

- The Regional Conference on Migration (Migrant Forum in Asia)
- Global Trade Union Forum on Migration (Global Unions)
- Pilipino Time (organized by Unlad Kabayan and MFA members from the Philippines)
- Collateral Damage: The Impact of Anti-Trafficking Policies on Human Rights
of Migrant and Trafficked Persons
- Policy Debates on Migration and Children of Migrant Workers (Save the Children UK)
- workshop on the feminizaiton of migration (womens march)
- A forum on Borders, Detention, Deportion: The International Regime of Migration Policy Enforcement
- Public Services International Forum on Migration, Development and Quality Public Services
- A Forum of National Trade Union Centers in Asia (KCTU, APL, HKCTU, SEWA, GEFONT, MCTU) & Global Network Asia
- A Forum on Marriage Migration
-Migrants rights in Latin America & the Caribbean: Information Sharing and Strategy discussion (MRI, CELS, CAREF )
-Global Union Forum on Migration - "Movement of Workers: Unions Beyond Borders"
Foro del Gremio Global de Trabajadores (Global Union) sobre la Migracion - "Movimientos de Trabajadores: Gremios mas Alla de las Fronteras"
-Perspectives from Africa and the Diaspora on Migrants rights and migration POLICY: International sharing and strategy discussion (IRPAD, PAN, MRI)
-Towards Universal Ratification And Effective Implementation of the Migrant Workers Convention (Migrants Rights International)
- Migration, Development and Globalization: The Impact on the Rights of Migrants Migracion, Desarrollo & Globalizacion: El Impacto en los Derechos de los Migrantes (National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights (NNIRR)/

Speakers at the Global Plenary included:

Sumiati (Coalition for Migrants Rights)
Ambassador Luis Alfonso de Alba (Mexican Ambassador to the United Nations)
Gemma Adaba (ITUC)
Mamadou Goita (Institue de Recherche et de Promotion des Alternatives en Development)
Rex Varona (Asian Migrant Center)

Migrant leader Sumiati of the Coaliton for Migrants Rights(CMR) and founder of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union(IMWU) said that she was happy that migrant workers are well represented in the Peoples Global action and are given a chance to speak about their issues. She also spoke about the upcoming International Labour Conference of the ILO where decent work for domestic workers will be discussed and called on the support of trade unions to lobby for a standard setting on domestic workers and to recognize domestic work as work, in particular to recognize migrant domestic workers as workers.

Ambassador de Alba gave a rousing speech concerning the vital role of the civil society and trade union movement in protecting and promoting the rights of migrant workers:

" Those who are here today have a responsibility and I have, we all have, to live up to that responsibility."

Gemma Adaba of the ITUC emphasized on the importance of collaboration among trade unions, NGOs and migrants groups in moving towards better protection of the rights of migrant workers.

Mamadou Goita spoke on the importance of bringing together global civil society to address the issues of migrant workers.

Rex Varona discussed the migration landscape in Asia particularly on developing countries' strategy of using migration as part of its economic development policy. He lamented that in the Philippines, host of the GFMD, statistics show that two migrant workers come home dead everyday, yet the Philippine government still strongly pushes for the deployment of more migrant workers.

The presentations and speeches was followed by cultural performances led by women migrant workers groups, Batis AWARE and Batis Center. The BATIS YOGI, an organization of children of migrant workers (Japanese Filipino Children) also gave a cultural presentation portraying migration from the point of view of the children of migrant workers.

Today, the PGA will be continuing its workshops, open forums, exhibits and cultural programs at the Malate Catholic school. We hope that you can join us at the Malate Catholic School in Malate, Manila, Philippines.

In Peace and Solidarity,

Tatcee Macabuag
Migrant Forum in Asia Secretariat

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