Filipino migrant workers confront PH officials at UN forum in New York

NEW YORK – Filipino migrant workers and labor trafficking survivors confronted Philippine labor officials during a week of protest actions in New York City, securing commitments for policy changes and further discussions on migrant protections during the United Nations’ International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), according to organizers from Migrante USA.

The protests, held May 5–8, were organized by Filipino migrant workers and grassroots organizations calling for accountability from the Philippine government over labor trafficking, immigration-related issues and what advocates described as failures in migrant worker protections.

Philippine officials attending the IMRF included Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Cooperation Levinson Alcantara.

Marchers confront Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac during a protest rally in front of UN headquarters in New York. CONTRIBUTED

Protecting migrant workers

In a May 7 media briefing during the forum, Cacdac said the DMW’s participation in the IMRF focused on reviewing implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), with particular attention to protecting workers throughout the migration cycle.

He also highlighted government efforts to strengthen worker protections, including the DMW Act of 2022, which he described as part of the Philippines’ broader approach to promoting safe migration.

While protests by groups such as Migrante USA unfolded outside the forum, Cacdac participated in discussions at United Nations headquarters on migrant inclusion and labor cooperation.

‘Filipino Migrant Workers Manifesto’

Organizers said migrant workers had repeatedly sought a meeting with Cacdac since September 2025 without success. In response, Filipino migrants held their own community forum on May 3, where they drafted a “Filipino Migrant Workers Manifesto” outlining demands that included accountability for abusive employers and recruiters, diplomatic intervention in immigration detention and deportation cases, improved migrant services and job creation in the Philippines.

Eric, an overseas Filipino worker and trafficking survivor affiliated with Migrante New York, described how workers allegedly arrived in the United States under supposedly legitimate contracts that later turned out to be fraudulent.

“OFW ang pagpasok namin dito, manggagawang Pilipino” (“We came here as overseas Filipino workers, as Filipino laborers”), Eric said. “Hindi po ako pumasok dito na mag-isa, marami po kami” (“I did not come here alone — there were many of us.”)

Employment fraud

Eric said their employment contracts were complete and signed before departure and that workers paid contributions to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). “Pero pagdating namin dito—FRAUD” (“But when we arrived here — it was fraud”), he said.

He said workers were unable to return to the Philippines because of mounting debt. “Bakit pati dito sa Amerika ganito din ang sitwasyon namin at gaganituhin kami” (“Why is our situation the same here in America, and why are we being treated this way?”), he said.

Eric also questioned why recruitment agency September Star, which he said was registered with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), continued operating despite complaints dating back to 2000.

“Saan na ang proteksyon na binibigay niyo po?” (“Where is the protection you are supposed to provide us?”), he said.

‘Bureaucratic inaction’

Kai Marie of Migrante USA criticized what she described as bureaucratic inaction by the DMW and migrant labor offices.

“DMW hasn’t shut down the agencies that our members have been bringing up directly to MWO officials that have been responsible for trafficking and exploiting workers,” she said.

She also questioned the absence of migrant worker representation at the United Nations forum.

“Nasaan ang mga migranteng manggagawa sa loob ng United Nations?” (“Where are the migrant workers inside the United Nations?”), she said. “Even our representative — who is supposed to be our representative — Secretary Cacdac, has not even faced the workers.”

Labor export system

Another trafficking survivor, Aida of Migrante New York, said she came to understand her experience as part of a broader labor export system established by the Philippine government in 1974.

“Sa pagdaan ng panahon, naunawaan ko na hindi lang pala ako biktima ng maling employer o mapanlinlang na recruiter” (“Over time, I realized that I was not only a victim of a bad employer or deceptive recruiter”), Aida said. “Ako ay naging bahagi ng mas malaking sistemang tinatawag na labor export policy” (“I became part of a larger system called the labor export policy”).

Exploitative conditions

She said many Filipino workers are forced to accept exploitative conditions because of a lack of decent jobs and sustainable livelihoods in the Philippines.

“Naulit muli from 2024 hanggang ngayon!” (“It happened again from 2024 up to now!”), Aida said, referring to conditions she said continued under the current administration.

“Hindi sapat na tawagin kaming ‘bagong bayani’ kung hindi naman kami tunay na pinoprotektahan” (“It is not enough to call us ‘new heroes’ if we are not truly protected”), she said. “Ang migrasyon ay hindi dapat maging sapilitang pagpili dahil sa kahirapan” (“Migration should not be a forced choice because of poverty.”)

“Dapat ito ay isang tunay na malayang desisyon—ligtas, makatarungan, at may dignidad” (“It should be a genuinely free decision — safe, just, and with dignity”).

Filipino seafarers

Jom Dolor of Amerigrante Northern Virginia and Migrante USA raised concerns over the treatment of Filipino seafarers in US ports, citing what he described as more than 200 documented cases since last summer involving detentions and deportations in Virginia, Baltimore and San Diego.

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“They are being falsely accused of crimes, their visas are revoked, and they are blacklisted from entering the US,” Dolor said.

“Nasaan ang gulugod ng mga official natin to stand up for our people who are just literally being pulled out of the ships in the middle of the night?” (“Where is the courage of our officials to stand up for our people who are literally being pulled out of ships in the middle of the night?”), he said.

“Tapos papauwiin sa Pilipinas, wala silang trabaho at wala silang mapakain sa mga pamilya nila” (“Then they are sent back to the Philippines with no jobs and no way to feed their families”).

Lack of response from PH officials

Dolor criticized what he described as a lack of response from Philippine labor officials, saying advocates had attempted to contact authorities through letters, phone calls and emails without success.

“We urge diplomatic protest from the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) or the ambassador up to Secretary Cacdac, up to President Marcos Jr., to immediately intervene and ensure the safety of seafarers and other migrants,” he said.

After several confrontations with Philippine officials throughout the week, representatives from Migrante USA and BAYAN USA secured a meeting with Alcantara.

According to organizers, Alcantara acknowledged that some DMW policies should end, including requirements for proof of legal status before repatriation and the practice of disbursing public assistance funds to personal accounts.

Advocates said they are awaiting written confirmation directing Migrant Workers Office branches to stop those practices.

Organizers also said Alcantara committed to forwarding all demands from the meeting to Secretary Cacdac, including calls for a public apology. Advocates said they are still awaiting a formal response.

(Inquirer USA reached out to the office of Secretary Cacdac for comment and will update this story if a response is received.)

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