Page 36 - 2017 JUL -DEC KAAKBAY

36 January to June
2017

Philippine Consulate General in New York and Damayan Migrant Workers Association
Forge Partnership on Trafficking Matters

The Consulate General was represented by
Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega and Assistance
-to-Nationals Officer Arturo Romua while Damayan was
represented by Ms. Linda Oalican and members of the
Damayan Board, trafficking survivors, volunteers, and
advisers. Assistant Secretary Reynaldo A. Catapang of
the Department of Foreign Affairs Migrant Workers
Affairs Office was on hand to witness the signing.

Consul General Dizon-De Vega hailed the

Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Catapang, Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega, partnership as a major step in the right direction to raise
Damayan’s Linda Oalican, with Damayan members and trafficking survivors after the more awareness of trafficking issues and to extend
signing of the Agreement (photo by NYPCG) much needed assistance to victims. She emphasized
that trafficking can take place at any time and in any

The Philippine Consulate General in New York and the country. Ms. Oalican welcomed the signing of the MOU
Damayan Migrant Workers Association signed a Memorandum of and looked forward to working together in addressing the
Understanding on closer cooperation in addressing human and issue of trafficking. She further commented that the
labor trafficking matters at the Philippine Center in New York. community should not let their guard down as many
victims of trafficking are under the radar due to the

The partnership, which is the product of several years of complex nature of this problem.

discussion, provides for closer coordination between the

Consulate and the migrant workers’ advocacy group in order to

address in a timely and effective manner, cases of human and

labor trafficking affecting overseas Filipinos. As a result of the

agreement, an Anti-Trafficking Working Group (ATWG) will be

convened to discuss work plans, timelines and other

deliverables.

Among the activities on which the Consulate and L-R Assistant Secretary Catapang watches as Consul General Dizon-De
Damayan are expected to coordinate include more intensive Vega and Ms. Linda Oalican sign the agreement.
information dissemination about trafficking, outreach activities,
assistance to victims, and exchange of information and best
practices.

New York Consulate, Damayan Hold “Know Your Rights” Seminar

The Philippine Consulate General in New York in partnership with the DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association, held
a “Know Your Rights” seminar on Immigration Matters at the Philippine Center lobby last Saturday, 04 November 2017.

The seminar is part of the Consulate’s efforts to reach out to the Filipino community and engage all sectors,
particularly Filipinos anxious or apprehensive about the U.S. government’s policies regarding immigration rules and
regulations.
The seminar is also part of the initiatives under the recently concluded Memorandum of Understanding between the Consulate
General and the DAMAYAN Migrant Worker’s Association, which is actively pursuing an anti-Labor and Human Trafficking

Participants in the Know Your Rights session with Consul Kerwin Tate (2nd row standing 1st from left), Linda Consul Tate of the Consulate’s Assistance-to-Nationals
Oalican of Damayan (2nd row 7th from left), and Consul General Theresa Dizon-De Vega (2nd row, 8th from Section opens the program with Consul General Dizon-De
left) – photos by NYPCG Vega, Ms Melanie Zuch and Linda Oalican of Damayan