MANILA--President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said today that the signing of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) has opened new opportunities for Filipino health workers to work in Japan starting April this year.
The President said this in her speech before the 28th joint meeting of the Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee (PHILJEC) and the Japan- Philippines Economic Cooperation Committee (JPECC) this morning (Friday) at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City.
“For the first time, Japan will accept foreign health workers -– our very much in-demand Filipino nurses and care workers,” the President said.
After the JPEPA signing last December, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) immediately signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the deployment of nurses and caregivers with the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services with the first batch of deployment to start in April this year.
The POEA said that it is initially targeting 400 Filipino nurses and 600 caregivers for deployment to Japan within two years.
The POEA said the basic monthly salary for caregivers is 1,600 dollars. Nurses will get slightly higher, it said. Filipinos who are employed under the MOU are guaranteed a contract for three years, provided they have passed the Japanese licensure exam.
With JPEPA in place, the President added she is hoping that the agreement would also open more opportunities for the educated, highly productive and English-speaking Filipino workforce.
“We hope to see more trade in outsourcing, tourism, maritime and air transport, banking and telecommunications,” the President said.