The research agenda contributes to the goals of the FAIR project by providing evidence on culture and practice of fair recruitment in the Philippines. It identifies the existing practices of private recruitment agencies that adopt fair recruitment principles for prospective migrant workers. It also describes the challenges that fair recruiters face, including the bottlenecks and gaps in the legislative and regulatory frameworks that increase the barrier to entry for new private recruitment agencies that are committed to fair and ethical recruitment principles.

In line with the research agenda, ILO commissioned experts to investigate commercial and practical challenges that confront fair recruiters, and identify opportunities to support and enable fair recruiters to thrive in a competitive market. The FAIR project is thus committed to exploring new ideas that could help reduce deceptive and abusive recruitment practices. As such, drawing on related but independent research, the study also considers whether worker’s cooperatives, regulated by the Cooperative Development Authority, have the potential to play a role in promoting fair recruitment practices. Based on a feasibility study that will explore the political and practical viability of workers’ cooperatives to take an active role in cross-border labour intermediation services in the Philippines, the study makes recommendations for the role of cooperatives in the protection of workers, promoting fair recruitment, or as a provider of cross-border recruitment services.

The proposed activity will provide a venue to present and validate the findings of the two studies:

• Study on international recruitment in the Philippines
• Feasibility study of cooperatives acting as labour service intermediary to cross-border recruitment from the Philippines

Based on the analysis, conclusions and recommendations of both studies, the FAIR project team will solicit inputs and comments from ILO constituents, including social partners from the academe and civil society to better inform pilot interventions between the Philippines and a country of destination. While key results will be identified and the accompanying changes that are required to achieve them will be emphasized, a strategic planning workshop will follow the presentation of findings to thresh out specific actions and interventions that will make up the cross-border pilot. A strategic plan that is in line with the project work plan will be the main output of this two-day activity set to take place on 17-18 November 2016 in Metro Manila.