as emergency subsidies to migrants and their families affected by the pandemic7 and provides penalties for acts of discrimination against returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), among others. 7. In March 2021, during a hearing of the House Overseas Workers Welfare panel, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III committed to pushing for OFWs to be given COVID-19 vaccines ahead of teachers, social workers, and government employees.8 Under the previous vaccine prioritization framework, OFWs were placed under a lower category - Category B5. In May 2021, the Philippine government, through IATF-EID resolution no. 117, placed outbound OFWs in the A1 or top priority group in its COVID-19 vaccination drive.9 8. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also formed a committee that will focus on speeding up the completion of a 100-bed medical facility which will cater to OFWs and their dependents.10 9. Other existing government programs aimed at extending health care assistance to migrants and their families include the following: a. Pursuant to DOH Administrative Order 2016-0007,11 the DOH has a Migrant Health Unit, which serves as the focal point in the DOH for all migrant health-related issues, leads in the coordination and collaboration with other relevant government and non-government agencies in addressing migrant health issues, convenes and serves as the Secretariat for the DOH Intra-Agency Task Force on Migrant Health, and facilitates the delivery of specific services to OFWs with critical health needs, such as medical repatriation assistance (provision of ambulance, hospital referral, etc.), and health assistance for migrants and OFWs.12 b. Under Section 38 of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Act of 2016 (RA 10801),13 the OWWA has a trust fund that can be used “to serve the welfare of member-OFWs and their families which shall include the financing of core programs and services of the OWWA.”14 Sec. 35 enumerates the benefits and services available to OFWs: (1) reintegration of OFWs, (2) repatriation assistance, (3) loan and other credit assistance, (4) workers assistance and on-site services, (5) social benefits which include death and disability benefits, health care benefits, and education and training benefits.15 10. Meanwhile, the ceiling on the annual overseas deployment of health care workers (HCWs) has been raised from 5,000 to 6,500 after members of the IATF-EID agreed to increase the annual deployment cap of new hire HCWs.16 The deployment cap is merely temporary to ensure that the country has a sufficient number of HCWs amid the pandemic.17 Solidarity measures and initiatives planned by the Philippine government, civil society, and other relevant stakeholders to support migrants in the context of the pandemic 11. Since the start of its repatriation efforts in February 2020, the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has repatriated more than 560,000 OFWs.18 12. In the first few months of enhanced community quarantine in the country, particularly in Metro Manila, poor sanitation and lack of social distancing measures in quarantine facilities and temporary shelters for repatriated OFWs were initially reported.19 These reports were later on confirmed by OWWA.20 Some OFWs were also prevented from posting their complaints on social media, based on a copy of the 14-Day Quarantine House Rules bearing the logo and letterhead of the DOH and the Bureau of Quarantine.21 The house rules stated, “Media University of the Philippines - Centre International de Formation des Autorites et Leaders (UP-CIFAL) Philippines Submission of Inputs to the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, 2021. 8 Julie M. Aurelio, “Duque to elevate OFWs in COVID vaccine priority list,” Inquirer, 27 March 2021, available at https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1411866/duque-to-elevateofws-in-covid-vaccine-priority-list#ixzz6qbeuarm6 (Last accessed: 19 June 2021). 9 See the full text of IATF-EID resolution no. 117 here: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2021/05may/20210527-IATF-RESO-117-RRD.pdf; Pia Ranada, “Outbound OFWs, health workers’ families moved up vaccine priority list,” Rappler, 28 May 2021, available at https://www.rappler.com/nation/ofws-health-workersfamilies-moved-up-vaccine-priority-list (Last accessed: 20 June 2021). 10 Gillian M. Cortez, “DOLE forms committee to speed up OFW hospital construction,” Business Mirror, 9 May 2021, available at https://www.bworldonline.com/doleforms-committee-to-speed-up-ofw-hospital-construction/ (Last accessed: 19 June 2021). 11 See the full text here: https://cfo.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/Legal_Mandate/1.-A.O.-No.-0007_National-Policy-on-the-Health-of-Migrants-and-Overseas-Filipinos.pdf 12 Id. 13 See the full text of RA 10801 here: https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2016/ra_10801_2016.html 14 An Act Governing the Operations and Administration of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, R.A. No. 10801, 27 July 2015 https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2016/05/10/republic-act-no-10801/ (Last accessed: 01 February 2021) 15 Id. 16 Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, “Health workers’ deployment cap raised to 6,500,” Philippine News Agency, 18 June 2021, available at https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1144116 (Last accessed: 22 June 2021). 17 Id. 18 ABS-CBN News, “Over 300 more OFWs repatriated from UAE,” 19 June 2021, available at https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/19/21/over-300-more-ofws-repatriatedfrom-uae (Last accessed: 19 June 2021). 19 GMA News Online, “Kuwait OFWs lament lack of social distancing at OWWA shelter,” 05 April 2020, available at https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/news/732766/kuwait-ofws-lament-lack-of-social-distancing-at-owwa-shelter/story/ (Last accessed: 01 February 2021); GMA News Online, “OWWA confirms poor sanitation in quarantine facility for repatriated OFWs,” 19 April 2020 available at https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/news/734659/owwa-confirms-poor-sanitation-in-quarantine-facility-for-repatriated-ofws/story/ (Last accessed: 01 February 2021) 20 GMA News Online, “OWWA confirms poor sanitation in quarantine facility for repatriated OFWs,” 19 April 2020 available at https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/news/734659/owwa-confirms-poor-sanitation-in-quarantine-facility-for-repatriated-ofws/story/ (Last accessed: 01 February 2021) 21 ABS-CBN News, “OFW complains of filthy, unhygienic conditions at quarantine hotel,” 14 April 2020 available at https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/14/20/ofwcomplains-of-filthy-unhygienic-conditions-at-quarantine-hotel (Last accessed: 01 February 2021) 7