THE Davao City Government created the Davao City Migration and Development Committee that aims to strengthen the development of local and international migration.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio signed Executive Order (EO) 13, known as “An Order Creating The Davao City Migration And Development Committee, Defining Its Powers, Functions, And Duties” on March 19. It was released to the public on Tuesday, March 23.
The committee is mandated to conduct research and data collection regarding the migration profile of the local government, which includes the number of migrants, destination or country of migrant, employment status, and average annual remittances received by the family of the migrant.
The committee is also tasked to formulate and implement policies, services, and programs catering to migrants and their families particularly in the four program areas: social protection and welfare services, economic development services, advocacy, and educational services in line with the directions of the Davao Regional Development Plan.
The EO also orders the inclusion of migration and development in the local development plan, local development investment program/annual investment program.
Additional functions include ensuring migration and development is encompassed in the vision, statement, mission, and goals or other local policies of the city; mainstream the services of the city which caters to migrants and families; monitor and assess the effectivity and impact of the mentioned programs and services; and perform such other functions analogous to the foregoing or as may be directed by the mayor.
Duterte said in the EO that the Philippines remains one of the major sources of labor supply worldwide, with its citizens migrating to other countries for employment and are called overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
"Migration can be regarded as a positive force for development as long as the right set of policies and guidelines are in place," the mayor said.
The mayor formed the Davao City Migration and Development Committee as local government units play a significant role in strengthening the development of local and international migration.
“RDC (Regional Development Council) 11, through Resolution 54, Series of 2018, enjoins the local government units in the Davao region to create local migration and development committees to address migration-related concerns,” Duterte-Carpio said.
The City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) will serve as the secretariat of the newly formed committee, which is tasked to handle all administrative and/or secretarial-related activities and record and organize all board meetings.
Duterte also ordered the creation of a technical working group to assist the committee in the discharge of its functions and whose members will be determined by the committee.
A budget, according to the EO, shall be allocated from available and appropriate resources to fund the operations and activities of the committee.