E/CN.4/2003/85/Add.4 page 6 Introduction 1. At the invitation of the Government of the Philippines, the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants visited the country from 20 May to 1 June 2002. The Special Rapporteur would like to thank the Government of the Philippines for inviting her to visit the country and for the full cooperation extended to her prior and during the visit, which greatly facilitated her work. The Special Rapporteur would also like to thank the United Nations Resident Representative, the United Nations Development Programme Resident Coordinator and through him the staff of UNDP for the support provided throughout the visit, and national non-governmental organizations for the invaluable assistance in preparing and conducting the mission. I. PROGRAMME OF THE VISIT 2. The Special Rapporteur visited Manila, Bohol, Takbilaran and Zamboanga City. In Manila she met with high officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Labour and Employment. She also visited the immigration detention centre in Camp Bagong Diwa, Nighutan, to interview foreigner detainees and the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) to observe recruitment procedures. She further met with representatives of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), the Department of the Interior, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Commission on Human Rights, the International Organization for Migration and United Nations agencies and programmes. The Special Rapporteur interviewed individuals and engaged in discussions with representatives of civil society. 3. In Bohol and Takbilaran, areas of origin of many migrants, the Special Rapporteur met with the mayors and members of migrant enterprises1 and participated in a forum with migrants and their families, government agencies and representatives of civil society. 4. In Zamboanga City, the Special Rapporteur met with the mayor, representatives of DSWD and senior representatives of other relevant local administrative bodies, including the Department of Immigration and Deportation, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of Labour and Employment, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and POEA. 5. The Special Rapporteur would like to thank all the individuals and representatives of institutions with whom she met during the mission for their assistance in gathering information and providing analysis on the subject matter of the report. II. GENERAL CONTEXT 6. The Philippines has a market-based, mixed economy. Agriculture accounts for approximately 40 per cent of total employment. In 2001, the country witnessed a slowdown in economic growth, a weakening of its currency and 2.36 per cent population growth. The incidence of poverty worsened, approaching 40 per cent, and the unemployment rate rose to 10.1 per cent in October 2000.2