Migrant groups from several nations joined labor unions and civic organizations in the opening of the first 
International Assembly of Migrants and Refugees (IAMR) at the Bayview Park Hotel, Manila.
The delegates converged at the forum to discuss issues hounding refugees and migrants the world over, and to express their dismay against the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD).
“The GFMD will bring together government representatives from close to 200 countries, big business interests and their allied non-government organizations to discuss labor migration and development,” Dr Carol Araullo, chairperson of Bagong Alyansan Makabayan (BAYAN) said. “But in the light of the severe global financial crisis and economic slowdown, the GFMD agenda appears to be nothing more than an attempt to squeeze more gains from migrant labor through various anti-migrant schemes and in the guise of promoting development.”
