The lack local employment in the country, the disparity in the distribution of wealth and benefits of development, and the country’s poverty index which remains unchanged since 200682 continue to be strong push factors for both regular and irregular migration. The 2011 South East Asia National Human Rights Institutions Forum (SEANF) research on Migration83 exposed how migration remains to be the greatest vent for the country’s severe unemployment84. Over the last decade, the annual deployment far outnumber the yearly job generation85. In 2008, a record of 1.24 million workers were deployed compared to only 530,000 local jobs created86. In view of this, the Commission recommends the review and evaluation of the State’s efforts to address unemployment, the creation of local employment opportunities and the affirmative actions undertaken in fulfilling its policy of not promoting overseas employment as a means to sustain economic growth and national development. List of Issues 1. Capacity of the State Party’s Institutions for Effectively Implementing the CMW The reported number of OFWs in comparison with the current number of Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO), Overseas Welfare Offices and International Social Services for Filipino Nationals (ISWSFN) overseas87 are clearly insufficient and inadequate. Despite substantial increase in the funding for the ISWSFN in the period covering 2009-2013 from some 4 Million to 52 Million88, no additional Social Welfare Attaches (SWAt) were established. This is a clear gap in the delivery of services for OFWs, especially the most vulnerable --those in distress, trafficked, or victims of physical or sexual abuse. The incongruence of the number of available consular offices/officers and the 217 destinations with considerable presence of OFWs has been repeatedly raised during conferences convened by the Commission with the CMA.89 This highlights serious issues as to the capability of the consular offices to provide assistance and protection to OFWs. It was also posed that current consular support offered in Foreign Service posts are inefficient in dealing with trafficking victims. Either there are not enough case workers or case workers are unskilled in areas of human trafficking90. This is further compounded when there is gender insensitivity on the part of front line service providers, oblivious to gender specific differences.91 82 Olchondra, Riza. PH Poverty incidence Unchanged since 2006. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/396237/phpoverty-unchanged Accessed on 20 February 2014. The article reports on the data released by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) last April 2013 which provided that the poverty incidence in the country stood at 27.9 per cent in the first semester of 2012, practically unchanged from the same period in 2009 (28.6 per cent). The article noted that economic growth over the past six years hardly made a dent in poverty incidence in the Philippines as the percentage of Filipinos living below poverty line remained practically the same between 2006 and 2012. 83 Migrant Workers’ Human Rights Research (2011), Implemented by the Commission on Human Rights and prepared by Migrante International in coordination with IBON Foundation. 84 Id 85 Id 86 Id 87 In the State’s response to the list of issues, it provided information that is has established Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in 36 locations with a total complement of 58 Labor Attaches, 31 Overseas Welfare Offices (OWO) with 36 Welfare Officers and 32 Administrative Assistants. It also reports that it has established Social Welfare Attaches (SWAt) in three diplomatic posts from 2002-2010 pursuant to the International Social Welfare Services for Filipino Nationals (ISWSFN). These numbers, however, have to be appreciated vis-à-vis the number of OFWs deployed worldwide, as well as the concentration of OFWs per destination. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) 2012 data reveals that there are an estimated 10,489,628 Filipinos overseas, in 217 country destinations. The same report identifies the top 10 destination countries of Filipinos: US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, UK, Kuwait and Qatar. 88 Second State Report to the Committee 89 Intervention during the Government Offices-Non-Government Organization Forum on the Concluding Statements , 30 September 2011, Zamboanga City. CHR in partnership with CMA 90 Id. 91 Id. 103