Uniting Voices: Migrants and advocates come together at the first-ever Regional Migrants’ Summit in the Philippines
The Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM), together with the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) organized the first ever Migrant Summit last June 20-21, 2025 in Quezon City, Philippines with the theme, “Trends, Rights, and Actions: Understanding migration development in Asia Pacific.”
Joined by over 60 participants from different parts of the Asia Pacific and the Middle East, the summit aimed to gather migrants, advocates, civil society organizations, academics, members of faith-based organizations and other individuals and groups to discuss various issues, trends, and realities of migration in Asia Pacific and the Middle East. This was done through presentations of papers, campaigns, and testimonies which also forged bonds of solidarity around important issues and demands of migrants in the region. (Read: Understanding Migration Development: The Regional Migrants’ Summit 2025 Program Book)
A breakdown of the big picture
The first day of the event was opened by Aaron Ceradoy, General Manager of APMM, who shared his excitement about the Regional Migrants’ Summit – a first in the organization’s history. Aaron highlighted how the Summit offers a space to discuss a revolving door of issues and concerns. But more than this, he emphasized the importance of “talking about people’s lives, their struggles, and their hopes for a better future.” He extended his wish for the Summit to be molded with rich discussions through the presentations and that international solidarity among migrants, advocates, academics and others would be further strengthened in the end.
Following Aaron, Liza Maza – president of the Makabayan Coalition and former legislator, gave the keynote address where discussed the history of and issues around Filipino migration. Liza explained that the Labor Export Program (LEP) of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. which only served as a band-aid solution in addressing unemployment during his dictatorship. Neoliberal policies such as privatizing public services and prioritizing profit over people’s welfare have forced Filipinos to migrate and seek “better” work opportunities to escape poverty. Liza shared that while migrants contribute largely to our economy through remittances, the government continues to neglect their rights and welfare. Despite their situation, migrant workers persist in mobilizing, organizing and amplifying their calls for a just system that is genuinely pro-migrant.
Unpacking the “revolving doors” of issues
The first day of the Summit discussed a myriad of crucial topics, one of which is about the myths of migrant remittances. Denise Spitzer (University of Alberta) who presented on the topic using case studies from Filipino and Indonesian migrant workers emphasized how the use of remittances for poverty reduction and economic development is faulty considering that poverty remains widespread despite existing labor export programs.
A paper on zero cost-migration pathways in Malaysia was also presented during the panel by Yvonne Tan of the Institute Of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) – highlighting how it could possibly reduce migrants’ financial burdens. However, some participants sounded the need to look at on-ground realities linked with the said topic to see if its implementation truly helps in making the lives of migrants easier.
There was also a discussion on the grave conditions of temporary migrant and migrant domestic workers, as well as the gender inequities faced by women migrant workers. The panelists unpacked the structural barriers that perpetuate exploitation of migrant workers. In Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, migrant workers are only permitted to acquire temporary working visas. Pastor Jones Galang of KASAMMA-KO mentioned that seasonal workers are only allowed to work for a few months and domestic workers have no assurance of permanency. Domestic workers in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Middle East face exploitative working conditions such as long working hours, sexual harassment, abuse, and low or unpaid wages. Access to social protection, such as rest days, hospitalization assistance, and access to reproductive and sexual health care is also limited. In Hong Kong, as shared by Kim Kwok of City University of Hong Kong and Stephanie Kwok of PathFinders, women are forced to terminate their contracts after becoming pregnant. Migrant women in several countries in Asia, as discussed by Shahbaz Choudry of CARAM Asia/SpeakTrust, are subjected to mandatory HIV tests, and those who tested positive are deported immediately. Societal expectations around gender creates an unequal treatment between male and women migrant workers. For instance, female nurses in Saudi Arabia often feel guilty of not fulfilling their motherly duties due to working overseas. In Central Asia, women migrants are forced to leave their families due to poverty and sometimes, they even bring their children to work due to gaps in childcare services. In Malaysia, even if marriage migrants have been living in the country for several years, they still have difficulties in obtaining residency and citizenship.
The first day of the Summit concluded with a plenary discussion analyzing the Philippine Labor Export Program presented by Joanna Concepcion, Chairperson of Migrante International. She emphasized the lack of compassion by the government to prioritize the rights and welfare of migrants. This is heavily seen in the practice of state exaction through remittances, expensive recruitment procedures, and many more.
A panel discussion zooming in on issues in origin countries highlighted some of the problems that are not often talked about. Alfie Gordo of GAATW stressed the significant role of communities and families in approaching trafficking matters. Additionally, systemic failure and corruption has played a role in negatively shaping recruitment processes in Bangladesh according to Pervez Siddiqui of Films4Peace Foundation. Indonesian migrants and their families have limited access to support such as social protection while the government capitalizes on the labor export program. According to Sunita Mainali of Women’s Rehabilitation Center (WOREC Nepal), migration policies in Nepal remain protectionist and patriarchal. Women are often shunned for migrating, accused of neglecting household duties, without acknowledging that many are forced to migrate precisely to support their families.
The last panel discussion covered key points on reintegration efforts, feminist participatory action research, migrant organizing, and international solidarity. A common approach by all panelists centered around the importance of organizing, grassroots mobilization, solidarity-building within and across borders, as well as maximizing the use of media to amplify stories from the ground. This includes strong calls to promote the protection of migrants and to ultimately end forced migration.
The second day of the Summit also marked the launch of the Indicators of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) which was developed with, for and by migrants and refugees. This initiative was the outcome of a regional workshop held in Bangkok, Thailand last November 2024, which was attended by migrants, refugees, and advocates. The indicators are the proof of migrants and refugees’ call for a transformed migration system that genuinely addresses the issues they face everyday.
Building foresight, grounding knowledge
Beyond the presentations, participants shared ideas on how they can continue the conversation after the Summit. Suggestions around strengthening collaboration between grassroots groups, academics, and service providers, through learning sessions and shared advocacy were raised. Some shared creating platforms that will focus on the stories of migrants, and making sure information from the ground is used to campaign against harmful state narratives. The importance of intersectional approaches was mentioned several times – recognizing the struggles of women, children, indigenous peoples, and migrant rights defenders. These next steps are meant to keep the work grounded in the lived experiences of migrants and to ensure that their voices are always at the center of discourses.
To cap off the Summit, the participants had a community visit at one of SANDIGAN’s local chapters located in San Isidro, Montalban, Rizal on June 22. This gave foreign participants the chance to actually see the real conditions of returned migrant workers who continue to endure inequalities because of failed policies and exploitative structures.
In the end, the Summit was concluded with a renewed commitment to continuously fight for humane and just treatment of migrant workers. This includes safe working conditions, a liveable wage, protection from abuse and sexual violence, improved returned migration programs and most importantly, decent jobs back home. Continued organizing and mobilizing is seen as the core of achieving these. And as APMM, we will push to contribute to the migrant movement through research, supporting migrants’ campaigns, and fostering solidarity among friends and allies of migrants in the region.
