THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH – MIGRANT HEALTH UNIT ORGANIZED THE 15TH PHILIPPINE MIGRANT HEALTH NETWORK (PMHN) MEETING

04 September 2023 – The Department of Health, through the Migrant Health Unit of the Bureau of International Health Cooperation, organized the 15th PMHN Meeting last August 31, 2023 at the Swiss-Belhotel Blulane, Sta Cruz, Manila. The meeting was attended by more than 50 participants from different government and non-government agencies, as well as the academe, civil society organizations, the private sector and international organizations.

The new Director IV of the Bureau of International Health Cooperation and the Chairperson of the Philippine Migrant Health Network was formally introduced to the network members in the person of Dr. Anna Marie Celina Garfin who took her role in the beginning of 2023.

The gathering of the PMHN members began with a moment of silence to offer prayers for the passing of the Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan “Toots” Ople. Sec. Ople who is a great pioneer of the network and a true champion of Filipino migrant workers. Her advocacy on championing the welfare of migrant workers will live in every PMHN member’s hearts and will fuel the network’s pursuit for healthy migrants with healthy families in healthy communities.

The meeting then proceeded with the discussion on the highlights of the 2023–2028 PMHN Strategic Plan and was approved by the members. In the next six years, the newly developed plan will serve as a guide for the implementation of various migrant health initiatives. The Roles and Responsibilities of PMHN Members were also discussed and a new PMHN Structure was approved, aligned to the implementation of the 2023-2028 PMHN Strategic Plan.

The final findings and recommendations of the PMHN-led study with the support of the International Labor Organization entitled “Multi-lens rapid analysis of Philippine health laws and policies relevant to Overseas Filipinos and their families” was presented by Dr. Veronica Ramirez of the University of Asia and the Pacific.

The meeting also took stock of the recent developments and exchanged updates on various sectoral efforts and initiatives in the field of migration and health, such as: (1) Migration and Health in ASEAN: Regional Case Studies; (2) 3rd Global Consultation on the Health of Refugees and Migrants; and (3) PhilHealth’s Primary Care Benefit Package.

Lastly, the PMHN Members announced their upcoming activities, among these are: (1) 4th National Symposium on Migrant Health Research; and (2) Celebration of the Month of Overseas Filipinos. Ms. Carmelita Nuqui, PMHN Vice-Chairperson, closed the meeting acknowledging the dedication of the PMHN members, evident in the attendance of the PMHN members despite inclement weather. She also noted that the meeting had a fruitful discussion and thanked the members for their participation.