Phnom Penh, 23 September 2024 - The Philippine Embassy launched the Pulong-Pulong sa Phnom Penh (4Ps) on 22 September 2024 in tandem with the Singapore-based Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

At the hybrid town hall meeting led by Philippine Ambassador Flerida Ann Camille P. Mayo,  the Philippine Embassy presented a roundup of the Embassy’s diplomatic activities called Ulat sa Bayan as well as updates on citizen services such as passports, civil registration, and legalization of documents.  “We are piloting the 4Ps as a new format for our Filipino community fellowship where we share not only good news but also authoritative guidance on matters affecting your employment and life in Cambodia,” Ambassador Mayo explained.  The Philippine Ambassador also took the occasion to introduce newly-arrived Second Secretary and Consul Laarni Zorayda S. Gandarosa who will be directly supervising the Embassy’s Consular Section.

 Vice Consul Genina Marion T. Rafal provided reminders on consular requirements and procedures while urging Filipinos to register for the 2025 midterm elections in the Philippines.   MWO-Singapore representatives, Mr.  Senior Labor and Employment Officer Ronaldo Reyes and Welfare Officer Florencio Teves III took turns in detailing the roles of their respective offices and the benefits they dispense to Filipino workers abroad through the Aksyon Fund and OWWA membership.

The Philippine Embassy also arranged for the Cambodian Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training (MLVT) representatives, Mr. Chuon Angsangva and Ms. Sen Chhengchannita,  to speak to common issues concerning foreign workers in Cambodia including work permits, unpaid salaries, and non-equivalence of English and Khmer language employment contracts.

At the open forum moderated by Consul Gandarosa, the audience raised issues pertaining to the prevailing ban on direct hiring and related policy on DMW’s exemption quota, the issuance of Overseas Employment Certificates  (OECs) scholarships for children of OFWs and other OWWA benefits,  among topics.

 MWO-Singapore also rendered OEC and OWWA membership services during their two-day visit in Cambodia.

By and large, the Filipino participants appreciated the enlightening presentations and expressed the wish for regular on-site services by MWO-Singapore. END