PH signs labor agreements opening more job opportunities in Germany

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines signed two new labor accords with Germany providing better employment opportunities for migrant workers in the European country, said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday.

Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello III said this in a statement, calling the accords a “gift” to overseas Filipino workers.

According to Bello, a Letter of Intent was signed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the German Federal Employment Agency represented by its Director for International Relations Alexander Wilhelm, to facilitate the recruitment, deployment, and employment of Filipino professionals and skilled workers in Germany.

“This partnership will open opportunities for Filipino professionals and skilled workers, specifically Electrical Mechanics and Fitters, Electronics Servicers, Cooks, Hotel Receptionists, Waiters, and Plumbers and Pipe Fitters,” Bello said.

Apart from this, Bello announced that he and German Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach also signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Deployment of Filipino Healthcare Professionals to Germany to enhance the recruitment of nurses under the private recruitment track and inclusion of other healthcare professionals.

The said agreement will provide work opportunities for physiotherapists, radiographers, occupational therapists, biomedical scientists, and other allied health professionals whose professions are regulated by appropriate professional bodies both in the Philippines and Germany, said Bello.

“With this development, better job opportunities, in addition to nurses and other professionals, await our skilled workers as we showcase the competence and exemplary talents of the Filipino workers,” he added.

Bello further explained that the said MOU complements the Triple Win Project — a government-to-government arrangement between POEA and the Federal Employment Agency/International Placement Services in Germany which provided access to employment opportunities for Filipino nurses in Germany with sustainable recruitment procedures, as well as the long-term development of skills and transfer of knowledge.

Since its implementation, about 1,811 Pinoy nurses have benefitted from the agreement.

“As the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte completes its term, we thank the government of the Federal Republic of Germany for working together to meet our shared goals of decent, ethical and sustainable labor and migration framework. More importantly, we are very grateful to the German government for treating the Filipino workers the same way you treat your citizens,” Bello said

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