The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) of the Philippines and the Government of the Republic of Croatia today solidified their commitment to ethical labor migration by launching a pioneering fee-free Government-to-Government (G2G) hiring program. This initiative guarantees that no placement fees will be collected from Filipinos hired under the pilot program, starting with the hospitality sector.
The assurance of zero placement fees was a key outcome of the 1st Joint Committee Meeting on the Memorandum of Cooperation in the Field of Labour Market, held today at the DMW Central Office in Mandaluyong City. The meeting was co-chaired by DMW Undersecretary Jainal T. Rasul, Jr. and the Republic of Croatia’s State Secretary Ivan Vidis of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy.
The Joint Committee Meeting focused on establishing clear guidelines for the initial phase of the program, which will focus on the recruitment and deployment of Filipino hotel workers.
“We appreciate the shared commitment to fair and ethical recruitment practices and to address concerns and challenges in the deployment of Filipino hotel workers,” said DMW Undersecretary Rasul. “The DMW looks forward to working closely with Croatia, with concrete actions to benefit both workers and employers and to further deepen our bonds of friendship and cooperation with Croatians.”
State Secretary Vidis echoed this sentiment, expressing his country’s strong preference for the G2G pathway. He stated that the program is Croatia’s “most preferred migration pathway” and affirmed their readiness to provide full support to ensure the success of the recruitment initiatives.
This G2G program, which cuts out exploitative third-party recruitment costs, represents a significant step forward in protecting the welfare of Filipino migrant workers. Croatia had previously announced plans to expand job opportunities for Filipinos in other critical sectors, including healthcare (caregivers), construction, and others, indicating the long-term potential of this labor partnership.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from both delegations, highlighting the high-level support for the program. Joining Undersecretary Rasul were Assistant Secretary Levinson Alcantara, Assistant Secretary Julyn Ambito-Fermin, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Ryan Vincent Uy, Labor Attache Delmer Cruz, and other DMW officials. The Croatian delegation included Ms. Martina Cvitanovic, Head of Sector for EU Affair and International Cooperation, Ms. Maja Dekovic Mondekar of the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, and Mr. Marko Spiranovic of the Croatian Employment Service.
The DMW and the Government of Croatia look forward to the immediate implementation of the pilot program, setting a new standard for ethical and streamlined international labor migration.
