President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pledged to strengthen cooperation between the Philippine government and the Holy See to safeguard the rights and welfare of migrants, including more than 13 million Filipinos living and working abroad.
Marcos made the commitment during ceremonies marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the Vatican held in Intramuros, Manila.
“We are also mindful of the hardships endured by our diaspora, including our seafarers, in their pursuit of a better life for themselves and their families,” Marcos said.
The President said the Philippines is seeking deeper collaboration with the Holy See in implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), which he described as the world’s first comprehensive international framework for protecting migrants.
Addressing Archbishop Charles Brown, Marcos said the government looks forward to expanding its partnership with the Vatican in carrying out the GCM.
The GCM, adopted by the United Nations in 2018, is a non-binding agreement that covers all aspects of international migration while respecting the sovereignty of states and their obligations under international law.
Marcos said the Philippines cannot confront global challenges alone, particularly “in a world that has become increasingly volatile, uncertain, and complex.”
“Guided by our common values and grounded in a long history of collaboration, we look forward to strengthening this partnership over the next 75 years, and working together to meet both local and global challenges,” he added.
The President noted that the Philippines has long advocated for the protection of migrants through the GCM. In 2021, the government added a new chapter on international migration and development to the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 based on the agreement.
The chapter aims to strengthen the safety and protection of Filipino migrants abroad as well as foreign nationals in the Philippines.
Government data show there are around 10.7 million Filipinos living overseas, according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. This is on top of more than 2.7 million registered overseas Filipino workers worldwide in 2025, based on figures from the Department of Migrant Workers.
Marcos also highlighted the long-standing partnership between the Philippines and the Catholic Church in promoting peace, dialogue, and reconciliation.
He said the Holy See has supported peace-building efforts and interfaith dialogue, particularly in Mindanao, helping communities bridge divisions and promote reconciliation.
The Philippines, the largest Catholic nation in Asia and the third-largest in the world, formally established diplomatic relations with the Holy See in 1951.
