in local jobs if they prefer to stay horne. The Technical Education and Skiils Development Authority (TESDA) will also provide trainings to upgrade skills ostensibh'to fbcilitate redeployment. There is also the Unified Nurses'Learning and Deplolment Project (LINLAD) to create a pool of adequately trained, competent, and readill' ar ailable nurses for local and overseas employrnent in partnership with the DOH. OF\\ s u'ill also be able to take out small loans at low-interest rates - P50,000 per OFW at 50 o interest rate payable over 24 months - for livelihood projects from OWWA complemented by a fund from a Pl billion Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) 'Negosyo Program tbr Global Financial Crisis Affected Workers". It is however unclear which of these measures are genuinelv neu and additional programs. premise The implicit over standing of the redeplo)rnent prosrams that there are decent overseas and local jobs and that the problem is mereil'of piacement is also dubious inasmuch as OFWs were displaced precisely because of constnctinq o\erseas jobs markets. This uncertainty would even be compounded to the e\tent that OFWs will be charged fees for the trainings. While the loans will certainh' pror ide immediate relief for cash-strapped displaced migrants, there is a poor track record tbr such pro-erams such as by OWSA and will even come against the barrier of a depressed local economy that is an unfavourable environment for such micro-finance projects. The assistance is also limited to OWWA members and there is no equivalent effort for undocumented workers. Government machinery protection and support The country has a well-developed legal framework to protect the rights and welfare of migrants and their families. This has in large part been pushed by force of circumstance where the rapidly increasing numbers of Filipinos forced abroad to find work have also resulted in accumulating violations of their rights and adverse impacts on their welfare. The government has responded by undertaking various initiatives aimed at promoting migrant rights which has already drawn international attention for being relatively well-defined and comprehensive. Welcome high standards ofprotection and promotion of rights exist on paper covering not just their economic but also civil and political rights. Particularly significant are the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act (RA 8042). Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (RA 9208) and the Overseas Absentee Voting Act (RA 91 89). The Philippines has also signed and ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights ofAll the Migrant Workers and Members of their Families. It has also entered into 82 bilateral labor agreements signed with 59 countries. Migrant-related legislation continues to develop. For instance. as ofAugust 2009, there were already 31 House Bills and -19 House Resolutions filed at the Committee on Overseas Sbrkers Affairs at the House of Representatives (HOR). The bills cover a Magna Carta for seafarers, accelerating the processing of deployrnents, setting higher standards of protection, creating legal funds for OFWs, the creation of a department of OFWs, improving overseas offices and outposts, tax breaks, and improved u elfare 44