THE Philippines reinforced its commitment to advancing the welfare and global competitiveness of Filipino workers by sending a high-level delegation to the 2026 Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) held in Riyadh on Jan. 26–27, 2026.
Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Raymond Balatbat led the team alongside a delegation from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), headed by DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac. They engaged with policymakers, labor ministers, international organizations, and private-sector leaders from across the globe during the two-day conference.
The GLMC is a premier international forum that convenes thousands of participants from more than 100 countries to discuss emerging labor market trends, workforce mobility, skills development, and the impact of digital transformation and artificial intelligence on employment.
The 2026 conference, held under the theme “Future in Progress,” highlighted collaborative approaches to building resilient, inclusive, and future-ready labor markets.
The Philippine delegation sought to leverage the conference as a platform for strategic networking, policy dialogue, and knowledge exchange, with a focus on generating new employment pathways, strengthening labor protections, and enhancing skills development for Filipino workers overseas.
