OFW
Pinoys to get bulk
of Japan jobs -
Bello
Labor Secretary
Silvestre Bello III
Credit: Philip Ortaleza
F
ilipino workers may share more than a
third of the 350,000 available jobs that
Japan will open to foreign nationals
with the effectivity next month of a law
allowing new residence status to foreign
workers.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III
said skilled Filipino workers are among
the preferred nationals in Japan with the potential
of cornering more than 100,000 in fresh job opening in the Asian
neighbor.
“Our workers may get at least 30 percent of available jobs to foreign
nationals,” Bello said.
To govern the deployment of “specified skilled workers,” a
memorandum of cooperation is set for signing on Tuesday in Tokyo
between the labor department and Japan’s Ministries of Justice, Foreign
Affairs, Health, Labor and Welfare and the National Police Agency.
Bello said the cooperation agreement will not just provide better
opportunities but also enhance protection for skilled Filipino workers
for deployment to Japan.
“This agreement, aside from providing better opportunities, is
geared toward ensuring their protection by means of implementing a
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basic framework that will promote smooth and proper mechanisms in
sending, accepting, and residence management of incoming specified
skilled workers in Japan,” he said.
As defined in the agreement, specified skilled workers are those who
possess certain expertise and skills and granted the status of residence
of “Specified Skilled Worker”, by the government of Japan.
Among the specified skills include those in health care, building
maintenance, food services, industrial machinery, electronics, food
manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality, construction, shipbuilding,
fisheries and aquaculture, parts and tooling and aviation.
Under the agreement, the shared areas for cooperation are
streamlining of recruitment processes; examining mechanisms on
accepting and supporting organizations and a specified skilled worker;
providing guidance and supervision in the implementation of the
system; sharing of information; establishing of a joint committee
for resolution of issues and continued improvement of the system;
administering examinations; and promoting the welfare and protection
of Filipino skilled workers.
Serving as the country’s contact points once the agreement is signed
are the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) for
processing and accreditation; and Philippine Labor Overseas Labor
Office (POLO) - Japan for verification of skilled workers’ documents,
coordination onsite and welfare concerns.
The National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO), on the other
hand, will be responsible for the reintegration of returning specified
skilled workers. www.dole.gov.ph