The Bahamas and the Philippines Sign Memorandum of Agreement on Labour Cooperation

6th October, 2025. Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas. The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Republic of the Philippines signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on Labour Cooperation at the Philippine Center in New York on Wednesday, 24th September 2025.

The agreement, signed by the Honourable Frederick A. Mitchell, M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas and the Honourable Hans Leo Cacdac, Secretary of the Department of Migrant Workers of the Philippines, establishes a framework for enhanced collaboration in labour mobility, workers’ rights protection, recruitment governance, skills development, and mutual best practices in labour administration.

Minister Mitchell (right), talking to Minister Cacdac.

The MOA commits to strengthened cooperation to promote safe, orderly, and fair labour mobility between the two countries, with particular focus on safeguarding migrant workers, improving working conditions, and supporting skills development that matches market needs in both economies.

The initiative was introduced during diplomatic engagements as early as March 2023, when Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez met with former Governor-General Cornelius A. Smith in March 2023. This was further strengthened when Secretary Cacdac met with the Honourable Pia Glover-Rolle, M.P., Minister of Labour and Public Service in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in January 2025.

The MOA is the 7th Bilateral Agreement signed this year by the Department of Migrant Workers of the Philippines and the first in the Caribbean and Central America. To date, the Philippines has 68 labour agreements with 36 countries, with more expected in Europe and other regions.

This MOA reinforces our shared commitment to protecting workers while expanding legitimate labour mobility between our nations.

The Bahamas and the Philippines formally established diplomatic ties in 1976, marking a long-standing history based on mutual respect and cordiality.