The Philippines is committed to working with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Canada to deliver on its commitment to protect and promote migrant workers’ rights through various initiatives, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Saturday.

With Canada hosting over 900,000 Filipinos, who now form an essential part of the Canadian society, President Marcos highlighted Canada’s support for the TRIANGLE in ASEAN project, which promotes fair migration across the region.

“The project has promoted labor mobility across the region along with the improvement of working conditions and labor protection policies, particularly for low-paid migrant workers,” Marcos said in his intervention during the ASEAN-Canada Commemorative Summit.

The President likewise took the opportunity to express gratitude for the warmth and kindness of Canadian people.

“Canada is considered home by over 900,000 fellow Filipinos, and may I say that I have experience of the stories that these people tell me and it is that they have been assimilated into society and into the workforce so smoothly,” Marcos said.

“And this is completely due to the warmth and the kindness of Canadian people. For that, we thank you very much,” he added.

The Philippines, Marcos said, also welcomes Canada’s continued support for ASEAN initiatives for the welfare of women such as the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

The President said the initiatives aim to support the upskilling of women and empowering women entrepreneurship, particularly of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in ASEAN, adding that women stand to benefit from Canada’s support for ASEAN’s digital transformation efforts that are inclusive and enable women to participate in the region’s development. (PND)