CMW/C/PHL/CO/3 Coordination 15. The Committee welcomes the coming into operation of the Department of Migrant Workers in February 2022, and its designation as the primary agency with responsibility for promoting and protecting the rights and welfare of all migrant workers. The Committee is, however, concerned about the extent to which its mandate and authority to coordinate all policies relating to the rights of migrant workers, and activities relating to the implementation of the Convention, are known in the State party. 16. The Committee recommends that the State party clarify the mandate and authority of the Department of Migrant Workers and coordinate its activities with the Public Employment Service Offices and Migrant Resource Centres, also in systematic cooperation with civil society organizations, and duly inform migrant workers and members of their families about its services and how to access them. Data collection 17. The Committee is concerned about the absence of a system for the collection and analysis of migration-related data in the Philippines that would enable it to fully assess the extent to which and the manner in which the rights set out in the Convention are implemented in the State party. 18. With reference to its previous recommendations,7 the Committee recommends that the State party: (a) In accordance with target 17.18 of the Sustainable Development Goals, finalize and operationalize the Shared Government Information System on Migration to ensure the collection of data on migration in the State party, covering all aspects of the Convention, and to provide publicly available statistics on migrant workers, both in regular and irregular situations, members of their families, migrant workers living in the Philippines in transit, nationals working abroad and their conditions of employment, returnees, children who migrate abroad, including unaccompanied children, and spouses and children of migrant workers who are left behind in the Philippines, to effectively promote human rights-based migration policies and ensure the provision of services to migrant workers and members of their families; (b) Ensure coordination among the different entities that collect and analyse migration-related data, including the State’s foreign service posts, the Philippines Commission on Human Rights and civil society organizations. Independent monitoring 19. The Committee notes the draft laws tabled in Parliament to strengthen the mandate and authority of the Commission on Human Rights and align its selection and dismissal processes with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles). 20. The Committee recalls its previous recommendations 8 and the commitments made by the State party during the fourth cycle of its universal periodic review 9 to strengthen the independence and resources of the Commission on Human Rights. To this end, it recommends that the State party: (a) Finalize the Commission’s legal basis, guaranteeing its full compliance with the Paris Principles, and ensure its efficient operations by filling all Commissioner positions; (b) Promote the Commission’s mandate to monitor the implementation of the Convention, including by adequately resourcing the Migrants’ Rights Observatory and 7 8 9 4 Ibid., para. 19. Ibid., para. 27. A/HRC/52/13, paras. 145.7 and 145.9. GE.23-08778