Engagement of a Communications/Public Relations Agency to develop the POEA’s Communications Strategy and Action Plan to enhance its Anti-Illegal Recruitment campaign

1. Background
1.1. Contextual overview
Since 2016, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has been working closely with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to mobilize local government units, youth leaders, civil society and relevant stakeholders to strengthen the government’s campaign against illegal recruitment and trafficking in person, specifically minor and under-aged female domestic workers.
POEA previously convened local stakeholders in different municipalities and provinces around the country to roll out its national campaign called “Roundup of Stakeholders against Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Minors/Under-aged Migrant Female Domestic Workers.” These local outreach activities are aligned with the ILO Fair project’s objective of engaging relevant stakeholders to protect and empower workers in key sectors, particularly young women, who are most vulnerable to fraudulent and exploitative recruitment practices. Empowering migrant workers starts at the community level where individuals and families can access reliable information on available government programmes that can benefit them as they explore migration options.
The assembly of local stakeholders supports the campaign roll-out by informing local community leaders about the incidence of illegal recruitment of minor and under-aged domestic workers, particularly about the dangers of deploying under-aged domestic workers abroad. It also aims to enhance community awareness about existing welfare and employment services, and to involve local communities in monitoring illegal recruitment and human trafficking activities to support relevant programmes of the government. These local outreach activities also involve other community members and officers including the local youth council to emphasize a multi-stakeholder approach to community empowerment.
Project rationale
The ILO Integrated Programme on Fair Recruitment (FAIR Project) is committed to exploring new ideas and solutions that contribute to reducing deceptive and abusive recruitment practices. In the Philippines, the recruitment market is dominated by private recruitment agencies, which are linked to their counterpart principals or foreign placement agencies in the destination countries.
Effective information dissemination is a key strategy for the prevention of exploitation and abuses of migrant workers. However, the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020 interrupted POEA community outreach activities sustaining their anti-illegal recruitment campaign. The national lockdown prevented POEA staff from travelling to communities outside Metro Manila. The only way to continue the AIR campaign was through online consultations and social media information sharing. Given that in-person outreach will remain limited in the coming year, the ILO will continue to
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support POEA by enhancing existing social media content and outreach modalities, to increase the scope and effectiveness of the information shared with constituents.
1.2. Communications Consultancy
ILO FAIR project, in collaboration with POEA, wish to engage a public relations/communications agency/firm (from hence on, the contractor) to provide support to the POEA Anti-illegal Recruitment Branch as outlined in the sections below. Communications support will be required at various levels of engaging the public, particularly the key constituents of POEA, in boosting its public outreach and effective messaging to achieve its mandates and objectives.
In addition, the contractor will facilitate the review of different POEA online platforms and knowledge products, including audio-visual and digital media materials, to better inform and strengthen POEA’s communications strategy and develop an action plan over a pilot period of six months.
1.3. Objectives and scope of work
1.3.1. To provide POEA AIR Branch with a strategic direction and corresponding action plan with regard to its social media campaign strategy and programme;
1.3.2. To provide a high-level visibility to AIR Branch’s anti-illegal recruitment (AIR) campaign through branding, tools and comprehensive campaign; and
1.3.3. To support the development of knowledge products and creatives, including digital flyers, based on ILO General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment.
2. Scope of the Service
2.1 Task 1: Develop a communications strategy which is based on needs assessment of various stakeholders1, consultations and recommendations toward an recommended action plan. It is expected that the communications strategy and engagement approach will be a mix of mass communications, general and targeted advocacy, community mobilization and social messaging. The tools will range from mass media to social media, direct interaction with POEA clients, media engagement and the development of strong branding and social media platforms, which include tangible outputs like digital flyers and posters.2.
Main deliverables for this task:
 Presentation and validation of findings of POEA Communication Needs Diagnostic
 Draft Communications Strategy proposal acceptable to POEA and ILO
 Final Communications Strategy Report with Recommended Action Plan for 6 months
2.2 Task 2: Based on the Communications Strategy and the Recommended Action Plan, the Consulting Firm will facilitate the development of content and rollout of the campaign action plan:
 Refresh POEA AIR Campaign look on social media
 Setting of social media objectives and engagement plan
1 POEA to pre-identify a list of relevant stakeholders prior to the conduct of activities in this ToR.
2 Other audio-visual products will subsequently be developed by POEA within the framework of the communications strategy.
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 Develop social media content – facilitate contextualization of ILO General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment by producing social media card template (digital flyers) and model messages/posters for the campaign
 Develop social media (Facebook page; Twitter; Instagram; etc) engagement plan – who and how to engage POEA partners
 Develop guidelines for the management of POEA social media accounts to ensure sustainability
 Deliver training for POEA communications and social media focal points at sub-national levels.
The ILO Country Office Manila shall:
 Facilitate discussion with POEA and its key stakeholders on needs assessment, validation and final presentation of outputs;
 Provide technical support and inputs on the execution of the design and programming of the communications strategy and recommended action plan; and
 Monitor and support the capacity-building of POEA personnel on effectively managing and upgrading the social media platform over a pilot period of 6 months.
3. Contract outputs
 Final POEA AIR campaign Communications Strategy Report, with Recommended Action Plan;
 POEA Digital Flyers aligned with 13 General Principles for Fair Recruitment of the ILO
 A set of social media card templates/digital flyers and model messages/posters for the campaign
 guidelines on managing POEA social media accounts incorporating lessons learned and recommendations
 Training delivered to POEA focal points