(Davao City, 4 December 2023) – The Social Development Committee Sub-committee on Migration and Development (SDC-SCMD) XI convened for its 2nd Semester Meeting for CY 2023 on 4 December 2023, online via Zoom. Presiding over the meeting was Committee Chairperson and NEDA XI Regional Director Maria Lourdes D. Lim, CESO II. Among the matters presented were the key messages from the experiences of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in lobbying for the inclusion of M&D in global dialogues, presented by Ms. Tristan Burnett, Chief of Mission in the Philippines of the IOM. She underscored that introducing M&D concepts and indicators in various development agenda is meant to harness the development benefits of migration, and alleviate negative impacts to host communities and vulnerable individuals.
The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) XI presented updates on the Registry of Barangay Inhabitants and Migrants (RBIM) Program. The RBIM is a program ushered by the CPD which started in 2017, with the objective of tracking movement from one barangay to another, as well as provide demographic data at the barangay/local level for further use in development planning. The CPD XI reported that the agency conducted coordinative meetings with the PSA XI, DMW XI and DILG XI to finetune the RBIM rollout in Davao Region in view of the implementation of similar data survey initiatives such as the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) and the National Migration Survey.
Several agencies, including the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) XI, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) XI, and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI provided updates on programs and services for migrant workers in Davao Region. The program of activities for the proposed CY 2024 Davao Region M&D Forum was also endorsed by the Committee, for RDC XI approval. The Forum is tentatively set on 10 May 2024, and will provide a venue for stakeholders to discuss opportunities and matters concerning M&D in Davao Region.
Laurence Gido, NEDA XI