Description
The lack of employment opportunities and high unemployment pushes millions of Filipinos to work abroad. In 2013, an estimated 2.5 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) send a total of $22.9 billion in remittances accounting for 8.4% of the country’s gross domestic product. While this paints a good picture, many OFWs are victums of various forms of abuse, harassment and exploitation. Many of them are not aware of their labour rights. The Overall project development goal is to ensure that OFWs are organized and able to assert their rights and participate decision-making processes in both the Philippines and in their host countries. This involves initially organizing Filipino Domestic workers in Hong Kong and Malaysia as well as establish presence in other destination countries in Asia.

The project is also about defending and advancing gender equality. In many areas, domestic work is still NOT considered as work. It is viewed with patriarchal and feudal, eyes as an obligation borne by women alone. For PLU and AMMPO, the assertion that “domestic work is work” is not just simply a slogan, it’s a political commitment to alter the world’s view about women.

Objectives
1. establish chapter in at least two other destination countries in Asia other than Hong Kong.
2. mainstream its priority advocacy in both the host countries and in the Philippines.
3. initiated/sign Union to Union Cooperation with unions in destination Countries.
4. hold an international assembly of migrant workers
5. increased dues collections in at least 3 destination countries.

Type of activities
• Organizing and recruitment
• Training and Education on: union and migrants rights, training of trainers, Pre-Departure Orientation Seminars (PDOS), Gender Sensitivity Trainings, Leadership Coursee, Social Movement Unionism, Organizers training, etc
• Forums on issues affecting migrant workers, International Assemblies, Interaction forums with returning migrants, Chapter General Assemblies
• Publication and distribution of information materials
• Meetings, conferences, workshops and planning sessions of leaders and standing committees
• Mobilizations and Campaigns
• Press conferences and other media activities