06/08/2026
MIGRATION, ENVIRONMENT, PEACE, AND DEVELOPMENT (MEPD) MINDANAO SUMMIT 2026
July 28–30, 2026
Spanning three days, the 2nd Migration, Environment, Peace and Development (MEPD) Mindanao Summit 2026 brought together 136 participants—including migrants and representatives from national and local government agencies, civil society organizations, development partners, migrant-serving institutions, the academe, faith-based organizations, media, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and community advocates, to engage in meaningful dialogue on advancing migration, environmental sustainability, peacebuilding, and development in Mindanao. Through these exchanges, participants strengthened partnerships and reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting more responsive, inclusive, and rights-based migration governance.
Guided by the theme, "Advancing Solidarity and Collective Action for Migrants' Rights," the summit reaffirmed that migration extends beyond the movement of people. It is fundamentally about protecting human dignity, expanding opportunities, and ensuring that migrants and their families can fully realize their rights. Throughout the three-day gathering, participants engaged in meaningful dialogue, reflected on lived experiences, and developed concrete recommendations that reinforced a collective vision of migration governance that is inclusive, responsive, and grounded in human rights.
📍 DAY 1 | Understanding the Migration Landscape
The summit opened with discussions that provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of the Philippines' evolving migration landscape. Presentations on the National Labor Migration Situationer and the realities of internal migration examined labor migration trends, emerging destination countries, the government's Labor Migration Management Plan, as well as the drivers, patterns, and policy gaps shaping internal migration.
The discussions highlighted the importance of stronger coordination among government agencies, local governments, civil society organizations, and development partners to promote safe, orderly, and rights-based migration. As Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) emphasized, the government's commitment is to "unleash the potential of OFWs and their families" by empowering them as co-architects of national development through sustained dialogue and meaningful partnerships. Complementing this perspective, Ms. Ma. Laarni J. Marin of the Commission on Population and Development underscored the urgent need to strengthen internal migration governance, noting that significant policy gaps remain in addressing internal migration and advocating for stronger data systems, rural development, and evidence-informed planning.
The discussions were further enriched by the presentation of the 2025 Baseline Research on the Migration Landscape of Mindanao, which examined migration dynamics across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the regions of Western Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and Caraga. The research revealed the distinct migration realities, emerging trends, and priority concerns across the regions, demonstrating that migration experiences are shaped by diverse social, economic, environmental, and geographic contexts. These findings provided a critical evidence base for identifying region-specific priorities and informing more responsive migration policies.
Building on this research, one of the summit's defining milestones was the formal endorsement of six region-specific policy briefs to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). Developed from the baseline research, the policy briefs translate evidence into actionable policy recommendations that address the unique migration issues, emerging challenges, and development priorities across Mindanao. More than research outputs, they represent a collective commitment to ensuring that migration policies are informed by evidence and responsive to the realities of migrants and their communities.
While research and policy provide the foundation for effective migration governance, the summit also affirmed that meaningful policies must be shaped by the voices of those who experience migration firsthand. This commitment came to life during the Migrants' Story Session, where an Anak OFW, an Indigenous woman OFW, and a seafarer courageously shared their personal journeys. Their testimonies transformed data into human stories, reminding participants that behind every statistic is a person with dreams, sacrifices, resilience, and aspirations. Their experiences reinforced that migration governance must not only be informed by evidence but also grounded in the lived realities, dignity, and rights of migrants and their families.
📍 DAY 2 | From Stories to Solutions
Building on these lived experiences, the second day placed migrants' voices at the center of policy dialogue through four thematic sessions addressing some of the most pressing migration issues facing Mindanao and the Philippines today:
Thematic Session 1: Growing Up Apart: The Realities of Anak OFWs (in partnership with Department of Migrant Workers - Davao Region)
Thematic Session 2: Unseen Journeys: The Realities of Irregular Migration (in partnership with IACAT)
Thematic Session 3: Moving Within: The Realities of Internal Migration (in partnership with Commission on Population and Development Region XI)
Thematic Session 4: Beyond Survival: Climate Crisis and Migration (in partnership with Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), Inc.)
Central to these discussions were the voices of migrants and survivor-advocates—including Anak OFWs, Returning Filipinos from Sabah (RFS), internal migrants, and communities affected by climate-induced migration—who shared firsthand accounts of the challenges, barriers, and resilience that characterize their migration journeys. Their testimonies illuminated the realities behind each migration issue while affirming migrants as rights-holders and active contributors to solutions.
These lived experiences became the foundation for thematic workshops, where participants collectively translated insights into practical recommendations to strengthen protection mechanisms, improve access to essential services, and advance more inclusive and responsive migration policies and programs. In doing so, the summit reaffirmed that lasting and people-centered solutions begin by listening to migrants, recognizing their agency, and ensuring that their voices shape the policies that affect their lives.
📍 DAY 3 | Turning Commitments into Action
The final day marked the culmination of three days of dialogue, reflection, and collaboration. Participants consolidated the recommendations generated throughout the summit, identified shared priorities, and strengthened partnerships to advance more coordinated and migrant-responsive governance across Mindanao. The discussions underscored that addressing the interconnected realities of migration requires sustained collaboration among government agencies, civil society organizations, academe, faith-based institutions, migrant communities, and development partners.
These shared commitments were translated into concrete action through the formalization of strategic partnerships. The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Department of Migrant Workers Region X and MMCEAI strengthened the National Reintegration Network (NRN) by enhancing referral systems, public education, research, policy advocacy, capacity-building initiatives, and the establishment of One-Stop Reintegration Service Centers for Overseas Filipino Workers and their families.
The summit also witnessed the signing of the Terms of Reference (TOR) between Lawyers Beyond Borders Philippines and MMCEAI, expanding access to justice through legal assistance, legal empowerment, representation, and strengthened referral mechanisms for migrants in distress. This was complemented by the signing of the Memorandum of Commitment (MOC) for the Regional Convergence for Anak OFWs in Region XI, bringing together government agencies, civil society organizations, academic institutions, and faith-based organizations to strengthen child protection, mental health and psychosocial support, education, family development, research, and coordinated services for children left behind by migrant parents.
Another significant milestone was the adoption and signing of the Mindanao Declaration on the Protection of Migrants, Their Families, and Communities. More than a statement of shared principles, the declaration represents a collective commitment to uphold the rights and dignity of migrants, strengthen migrant-responsive governance, promote peace and climate justice, and deepen collaboration toward sustainable and inclusive development across Mindanao.
As the summit concluded, participants left with more than strengthened partnerships and new knowledge. They carried forward a renewed commitment to transform dialogue into sustained action—ensuring that policies, programs, and partnerships continue to protect the rights, dignity, and well-being of migrants, their families, and their communities.
The 2nd MEPD Mindanao Summit 2026 demonstrated that meaningful migration governance is built through evidence, strengthened by partnerships, and guided by the voices and lived experiences of migrants themselves. Over three days, the summit transformed dialogue into shared commitments and concrete actions that advance the protection of migrants' rights across Mindanao.
To all our partners, resource speakers, participants, volunteers, government agencies, civil society organizations, migrant leaders, and development partners—Daghang salamat for making this summit a meaningful space for dialogue, solidarity, and collective action. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to AWO International Southeast Asia for making the MEPD Mindanao Summit possible and for their unwavering commitment to promoting safe and dignified migration across the Philippines.
The summit may have concluded, but the shared responsibility continues. Together, let us continue building a Mindanao where every migrant's rights are protected, every voice is valued, and every journey is met with dignity, justice, and hope.
For your reference, the MEPD Mindanao Summit presentation materials and event photos are available through the link below:
📂 Presentation and Photos (Day 1–3)
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1X6sn_TVMfbbi6TipAmI88t5YUnQVfSLr
