PASEI SUCCESSFUL MARKETING MISSION IN EUROPE

PASEI  POST-EUROPE MARKETING MISSION PRESS CONFERENCE AT CENTURY PARK SHERATON

by: Ver Garcia & Teddy Cho

PASEI PRESSCON: In photo, 2nd from left Former DOLE USEC Nicon Fameronag, PASEI President Elsa U. Villa and PRO Raquel Bracero- PASEI. The Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI) caring partners of OFWs in Nation building.

Madam ELSA U. VILLA, President of PASEI, Thank all the invited guest from the Board of Directors, Media and the Private sectors who joined the Press conference of the post –Europe Marketing Mission covering the countries of the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, and Austria from the 5^th to 24^th June 2018.

PASEI Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mrs. Edwina Lema- Beech, who is also  the President of MABUHAY PERSONNEL & MANAGEMENT SERVICES,INC. ; Board Director and Treasurer Julie Rose M. Inso, who is also the President of Coreteam Manpower Services, Inc. ;  Board Director and Assistant Treasurer Rowena M. Paragas, who is the Presidentof NYD International Placement Agency, Inc. ; Board of Director and Public Relations Officer Raquel E. Bracero who is the President of Peridot International Resources, Inc. ; and Board of Director Susanna A. Virtus, who is the President of All Seasons Manpower International Services Inc.

The following are the members of the PASEI Mission to Europe: Mr. Kenneth L. Martirez, Vice President , Aram Enterprises , Inc. ; Christina de la Cruz Frey, President and CEO, Chartreuse Prime Recruitment Specialists , Inc., and her Daughter, Zeanne  Michelle DC. Bello, Corporate Secretary and Sales and Marketing Manager; Jovita G. Baltazar, Marketing Consultant, Humanlink  International Manpower Agency; Mary Mei Victorino, President , Mother’s Way  Overseas Manpower Specialists Corporation ; Jenny P. Clavero, President , Mountain Peak International Human Resources Corporation ; Lea M. Singian, President , Provident Overseas Placement Agency; Rose Marie M. Lainez, and Joan H. Lainez,President and CEO and Corporate Secretary, respectively, R.I.S.E. Manpower Services ; Grace C. Woo, President, VALESCO-SMS; Richard A. Bonifacio, General Manager, Venture Management Systems; Marites  Joan G. Quezon, President, JOBS Manila  International, Inc.; Cristina S. Honor, President, Cleopatra  International Placement Agency, Inc.; and Myrna A. Magalong, General Manager, Transnational Services, Inc.

The first goal was to familiarize and get acquainted with the laws, rules, and regulations, as well as the realities in the labor markets of the four countries relative to worker migration  and the second goal ,look for new  employers for skilled OFWs in these four countries.

In setting to accomplish the two goals, the initiatives taken by PASEI then  was to meet with  relevant authorities in both the private and public sectors of the four countries. A coordinated effort  with the Philippine Government officials  through the Philippine consulates and also meetings with employers, recruitment agencies, as well as labor market research and information institutions, with whom PASEI undertook  brainstorming on matters pertaining to the potential Philippines  worker’s migration  framework for legal and ethical recruitment. As of now PASEI is  confident  and believes  that the two goals were achieved during the European Mission.

In the Czech Republic ,the first destination of the mission , the Philippine Embassy officials led by Charge d’ Affaires Jed E. Dayang,  who was very helpful in providing information and tools of assistance relative to the entry of OFW’s to the Czech Republic according to the PASEI group. Through the courtesy of the Philippine Embassy.

 Media personality that covers the PASEI Presscon.

The PASEI took the initiative to discuss with the Philippine government embassies,  met with employers, recruitment agencies, as well as labor market research and information with whom they discussed the Philippine workers migration framework for ethical and legal recruitment.

The Czech Republic was the first stop of the PASEI delegation and met with the Philippine embassy headed by Charge d’ Affaires Jed Dayang who was very cooperative in providing vital information and assistance in connection with the entry of OFW’s to the Czech Republic.

In addition, they met also with the officials of Czech Chamber of Commerce and Idustry, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Investment and Business Development Agency. Under this project, the Czech Republic has allocated an initial 1,000 jobs for skilled OFW  migrant workers.

The Czech Republic is desirous in absorbing Filipino skilled workers and laid its framework for the entry of Filipino skilled workers in Czechoslovakia. The Czech government needs to know more about the Philippine migrant workers documentation procedures. The Business Development Agency requested the POEA for an official copy of its employment contract and other relevant documents for dissemination to the Czech employers.

It is very important to carry out an effective public information and communication campaign to raise the level of awareness, knowledge and understanding of the Czech companies/employers with regards to the Filipino worker’s migration policies, programs, rights and privileges, the qualities and competencies. PASEI is willing to provide the necessary inputs and recommendations as communicated to the POEA administrator Bernard Olalia. Official and relevant documents were provided thru the Philippine consulate in Prague as requested by the Czech Republic.

Bilateral labor   agreement (BLA) discussions between the Philippines and the Czech Republic including the POEA have been initiated, and by this time the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Czech concerns.

Poland mission produced productive meetings, with the tireless efforts of Ambassador H.E. Patricia Ann V. Paez in arranging the meetings with Poland’s Labor  Inspectorate , Ministry of Foreign Affair’s Economic Cooperation Department, and Warsaw labor office .Several one-on -one meetings with Polish employers and their recruitment agencies arranged by the Philippine embassy.

Poland’s dire need of 100,000 worker’s particularly in the manufacturing, Health and agricultural sectors confirmed owing   to the rapid economic growth and Polish workers migration to other rich  and prosperous Euro Nations like Germany, France and UK.

PASEI proposed and urged DOLE and Foreign Affairs to establish two Philippine Overseas Labor   Offices (POLOs), one in Germany and with options between Czech Republic or Poland in order to secure and  protect the overseas Filipino workers entering the labor  markets of these two countries and to enable and facilitate legitimate employers to recruit OFWs.

OFWs and employers in these countries are clamoring  for the presence of Philippine overseas labor and employment officials to attend to their document processing needs. Right now, verification of employers authentic documents are being done either in the POLOs in MILAN and ROME, Italy , or in Geneva, Switzerland which are very far thus, it takes too long , if not months to process.

A POLO office in Germany, employers and OFWs in Central Europe would be convenient to process to process their documents relative to OFWs hiring according to Mrs, Villa.

Another POLO, either in Prague, Czech Republic, Warsaw, Poland, could take care of OFWs and employers in these countries. Including that of Hungary, Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The POLO can also cover other countries in the Baltic Sea Area, wherein  Filipinos  are -present such as: Denmark, Finland, Russia, and Sweden Mrs. Villa avers.

She said that in addition to these countries there are already existing OFWs present in the labor markets of Croatia, Ukraine, Slovakia, Yugoslavia, and Moldavia of which any of the proposed POLOs can cover.

The DOLE and DFA, she explained, would need to assign experienced and qualified personnel to these POLOs and should ask Congress for additional resources for the purpose.

“ The House of Representatives and the Senate should support our recommendation, considering the enormous contribution of OFWs to the Philippine economy.  We should bring within the reach of our OFWs in these countries all available government services,” according to PASEI President, Elsa Villa.

Related to the establishment of POLOs, PASEI supports the initiatives of the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw for the establishment and forging of a bilateral  labor  agreement (BLA) between the Philippines and Poland as a way to fast-track the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to Poland.

Such a bilateral agreement, PASEI believes is the most immediate and logical step for legal, safe, and ethical migration because Poland is just opening up its labor market to third- country nationals (TCNs) like Filipinos. Poland is an ideal alternative work destination for OFWs because of similarities in both countries religious culture- both being devoutly catholic. But there are differences in Polish and Philippine labor laws that a bilateral labor agreement could address. While Poland like all the Eu member countries, observe the highest labor and human rights standards that  preclude serious welfare problems, there are standards in the existing POEA (Philippines Overseas Employment Administration) rules and regulations that are not aligned with the labor market conditions of Poland. The POEA needs to address the different labor market realities of Poland. Issues like recruitment costs; the issue of joint and several liability; transfer during the employment period; and workers benefits, such as food and accommodation. PASEI seriously hopes to discuss these important issues with POEA.

Connected to these issues mentioned is the reason why Chairman Edwina Lema-Beech, stern warning of OFWs against illegal recruitment for Poland, mentioning that illegal recruitment could take advantage of the fact that Europe is a high-end labor market destination and lure unsuspecting OFWs to illegal human trafficking schemes.

Germany has been known as an alternative OFW destination for OFWs particularly in the healthcare sectors. In Munich, PASEI delegates met with 21 representatives of private and government hospitals, home care facilities for the aged, migrant insurance companies, and clinics under the umbrella of Health Care Bayern, one of Germany’s largest network of organizations in the healthcare sector. All were unanimous in expressing the need to hire and recruit more nurses, physical therapists, and other healthcare workers and the need to fast track the process of hiring more OFWs in the healthcare sector. The meeting between PASEI delegation and Health Care Bayern an opportunity to give a one-on -one presentations of the different services available to the German counterpart.

PASEI delegates were informed by the Philippine Embassy  in Vienna, Austria through Chief of Mission Sulpicio M. Confiado that the new government in Austria is not so keen at the moment to welcome the TNC workers, but encouraged by the fact that the health care sector of Austria is also in need of workers and Filipinos in Austria is estimated to be around 45,000 have been assimilated and are well-liked by the Austrian society. (VerGarciaBlogs)