Migration and Development Initiatives for Western Visayas (MD-WV) Project were successfully launched during the third quarter meeting of the Regional Development Council of Region VI on September 26, 2014. MD-WV is a project related to the Joint Migration and Development Initiative (JMDI) Phase II, a global project which aims to optimize the contribution of migration in regional and local development in Western Visayas.

As a recipient of this project, the Province of Aklan established the Migration and Development Desk with the support and commitment of the Aklan Provincial Government through the Provincial Planning and Development Office as the focal office to manage, implement, and provide services on Migration and Development.

The objective of the Migration and Development Desk is to deliver responsive services to our Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) and their families.

Other functions of the Desk are:

• Facilitate the enhancement of provincial development plan and investment program in mainstreaming migration and development
• Forge partnership with the national government, private and civil societies and migrant associations overseas
• Provide social, psycho-social and medical assistance to Overseas Filipino returnees and their families especially to distressed OFWs and victims of human trafficking
• Provide assistance to OFWs for concerns directed to national and local agencies

The Provincial Government of Aklan, in partnership with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, developed the BaLinkBayan Website to provide on-hand information to the public, especially our Aklanon OFW’s and their families, of the services offered and activities to be conducted by the provincial government.