On November 16th, 2022, Prof. Andi Villa, a professor at the College of Social Sciences and Humanities of Mindanao State University- General Santos Campus, gave a hybrid lecture on “Challenges & Prospects for Sustainable Return and Reintegration of Migrant Workers: From Japan to the Philippines” for the Monthly Young Scholar Researcher Program which supported by the IIRAS (Institute of International Relations and Area Studies) with the cooperation of AJI (Asia Japan Research Institute)  

Prof. Andi mentioned that the main problem of reintegration for the return migration in the Philippine are ; lack of data on returnees and their patterns of reintegration, lack of proper laws, policies, and institutions regarding return and reintegration, stagnant home economic situations, inadequate and ineffective employment services, lack of information on available services and programs, absence of provisions for skills certification and skills recognition, poor social protection coverage, lack of coordination and awareness among different ministries and agencies and key stakeholders, stigmatization and resource constraints.

He argued that it is important to unpack how policy coherence and integration, or the lack thereof, affected the quality of government efforts in implementing the smooth reintegration and ethical treatment of migrant workers, both voluntary and involuntary/forced return such as migrants-in-distress, detainees, and deportees. Establish an inter-regional policy modeling in East and Southeast Asia on how sending countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia facilitate the sustainable return of migrant workers from host countries such as Japan and Korea. Returning migrants are unable to cope upon arrival in their countries of origin in times of difficulties, thus making them more vulnerable to engaging in unauthorized or illegal channels leading to the cycle of irregular migration.  

The lecture concluded with a vibrant Q&A session, during which members of the audience asked interesting questions, such as those regarding how the Philippine Migrant workers community experiences in advocating Human Rights violation during their migration journey, is there any differences treatment from the government policy for the migrant workers in Japan and Singapore, is there any social media movement in the Philippine Migrants workers in Japan etc.

Written by Yusy Widarahesty (Doctoral Students at the Graduate School of International Relations, Ritsumeikan University)