19. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the state technical school, has been offering its programs to displaced migrant workers so they could acquire new skills or improve their existing capabilities. Under the TESDA Online Program (TOP), there are 80 courses divided into 14 sectors, including agriculture, entrepreneurship, health care, information and communication technology, and tourism.35 TESDA previously stated that its online program accommodated 1,238,522 registrants since the start of the pandemic until the end of 2020. Of the figure, 86,100 are OFWs or their dependents.36 20. In the event that migrant workers need further financial assistance, Rule XV of the Omnibus Rules and Regulations Implementing the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act (as amended by RA 10022) provide for the Migrant Workers Loan Guarantee Fund. Such fund covers family assistance loans, which refer to loans granted to currently employed migrant workers or their eligible dependents or families in the Philippines to tide them over during emergency situations. The amounts will be charged against the OWWA Capital Fund, per Section 4 of Rule XV.37 21. OWWA, under Sections 6 and 35 of RA 10801, also has the mandate to provide assistance to OFWs who have lost their jobs and to implement programs for their reintegration.38 The reintegration program includes granting of loans and other financial support, trainings on financial literacy, entrepreneurial development, techno-skills, business counseling, as well as job referrals for both local and overseas employment. 22. Furthermore, through the Bridging Recruitment to Reintegration Migration Governance (BRIDGE) programme, a collaborative work among the International Organization for Migration (IOM), International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Women, the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, DFA, and DOLE, the Philippines aims to promote fair and ethical recruitment and ensure that returning OFWs are able to successfully reintegrate through migrant-centric, gender-responsive, and holistic approaches.39 23. Nevertheless, while some OFWs and members of their families are aware of the services provided by government such as the DOLE-AKAP program, others find difficulty in accessing information, or have had challenges in coordinating with the embassies and LGUs on welfare assistance.40 Some could not readily access information due to limited internet connectivity and mobility, particularly in the receiving countries where embassies request OFWs to submit forms in person.41 24. The impacts of the pandemic have uncovered the weakness of the return and reintegration programs of the Philippines for OFWs and members of their families. According to the report released by the IOM, months after returning home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 80% of Filipino migrant workers continue to be unemployed.42 The IOM also reported that with their termination, nearly 16% of all Filipino migrant workers were forced to spend their own money to return home, adding that 70% of OFWs did not receive support from their employers before returning to the Philippines.43 Most women OFWs have lost their jobs as they work in occupations or sectors most affected by the pandemic, such as health care44 and domestic work. 25. Through the conduct of continuous webinars, campaigns, and consultations, civil society organizations, Filipino community organizations, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders have exerted efforts to increase awareness and provide support to migrants and their families.45 In particular, civil society groups and trade unions have issued statements denouncing the phenomenon of wage theft, or non-payment of wages due to migrant workers. The Commission, in solidarity with the Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) and other civil society partners, issued a call to advance an urgent justice mechanism for repatriated migrant workers, OFWs, and their families in distress, and address non-payment of wages and benefits due to migrant workers.46 Jaehwa Bernardo, “Returning OFWs urged to take up TESDA’s online agri courses,” ABS-CBN News, 3 February 2021, available at https://news.abscbn.com/news/02/03/21/returning-ofws-urged-to-take-up-tesdas-online-agri-courses (Last accessed: 19 June 2021). 36 Id. 37 R.A. 10022, supra note 36, Rule XV, § 4 38 R.A. No. 10801, supra note 51, § 6, 35 39 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. 40 Initial [Virtual] Consultations on Women Migrants’ Rights in the Time of Covid-19 Pandemic, 25 November 2020, 19:00-21:00 for On-Site Women Migrants Groups & 4 December 2021, 9:00-11:00am for In-Country Women Migrants Groups, organized by the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines and Center for Migrant Advocacy. 41 Id. 42 International Organization for Migration (IOM), “COVID-19 Impact Assessment on Returned Overseas Filipino Workers,” https://philippines.iom.int/sites/philippines/files/documents/COVID-19%20Impact%20Assessment%20on%20Returned%20Overseas%20Filipino%20Workers_1.pdf; John Gabriel Agcaoili, “83% of OFWs still jobless 3 months after returning home: UN migration agency,” ABS-CBN News, 20 May 2021, available at https://news.abscbn.com/news/05/20/21/83-of-ofws-still-jobless-3-months-after-returning-home-un-migration-agency 43 Id. 44 The Philippines trains and supplies many of the world’s nurses and care workers; Ana P. Santos, “Coronavirus: Demand for Filipino nurses increases in Europe,” Deutsche Welle, 26 March 2020, available at https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-demand-for-filipino-nurses-increases-in-europe/a-52927591 (Last accessed: 25 June 2021). 45 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. 46 Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, Statement from Commissioner Gwendolyn Ll. Pimentel-Gana on Access to Justice for Filipino Migrants and Members of their Families Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, 26 June 2020, https://chr.gov.ph/chr-statement-from-commissioner-gwendolyn-ll-pimentel-gana-on-access-tojustice-for-filipino-migrants-and-members-of-their-families-amid-covid-19-pandemic/ 35