1. To enhance policy, legal, and operational framework to ensure full access to rights of refugees as guaranteed by the 1951 Refugee Convention; The Philippines has a generally favorable protection environment for refugees and asylum seekers, but there are measures that may be taken by the State to further enhance this mechanism. The Philippines will pursue the enactment of a comprehensive law for refugees and stateless persons and the issuance of an Executive Order that would solidify the commitments of different agencies towards the protection of persons of concern (POCs). The finalization of these laws would ensure that the entire refugee population of around 1,000 in the Philippines will continue to have their rights upheld while in the country.
2. To enhance South-South cooperation through technical assistance on developing national asylum procedures; Despite its resource limitations, the Philippines is proud that its mechanisms on refugees and asylum seekers are functional and accessible. Representatives from Philippine Government agencies have served as resource persons in different countries to share experiences in implementing these policies. As the Government strives to further develop its capacity on these issues, it welcomes the idea of undertaking knowledge-sharing activities with other countries in the hope of also learning good practices from them. Another area where the Philippines can share its expertise is on labor migration. This can support countries hosting refugee populations in attaining economic development and in mitigating the economic impact of hosting large refugee populations.