Philippines nominates USec. Arriola to IOM as Deputy Director General
MANILA – Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola has been nominated to the position of Deputy Director General for Management and Reform of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) by the Philippine government.
Ms. Arriola currently sits as head of the DFA’s Migrant Workers’ Affairs Office. She is recognized for her adept and accomplished migration management and human rights specialist. She advocates for change management and ethical and decent work within the department which are all anchored on the core of IOM operational characteristics of agility, transparency, and accountability.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said Ms. Arriola is a results-oriented leader known for her fast, responsive, and dynamic actions particularly on issues that concern migration and other IOM issues with her expertise in handling institutional challenges and reformation.
It will be recalled the Philippines is one of the first countries to mainstream the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (CGM), an intergovernmental negotiated agreement prepared for and supported by the United Nations (UN).
She is also credited for her 23 years in service which reflect the scope of her participation in the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to migration governance.
Four years ago, Ms. Arriola was the youngest and first woman appointed as Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs of the DFA. She has facilitated the mass repatriation of more than 380,000 distressed Filipino migrants in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She has been tasked to manage the US$20.8 million Assistance to Nationals Fund for the requirements of distressed Filipino migrants including repatriation, medical assistance, financial assistance, granting of flexi-visas, payment of overstaying penalties and other forms of assistance to Filipinos in need. (Melo M. Acuña)
Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola. (File Photo/Melo M. Acuna)
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