PH, Germany eyeing cooperation on employment of skilled Pinoy workers — DMW

The Philippines and Germany have signed a joint declaration of intent on cooperation in the development of skills, recruitment, and employment of skilled Filipino workers, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) announced Friday.

Migrant Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan said DMW officer-in-charge Secretary Hans Cacdac and Germany Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock signed the declaration on Thursday.

“In the declaration of intent, both parties agreed… to reaffirm their intention to support and conclude the memorandum of agreement on the placement of Filipino skilled workers in technical professions such as electrical engineering and electrical mechanics,” Caunan said in a Zoom briefing.

She said both parties also expressed interest in exploring negotiations and the conclusion of a comprehensive migration and mobility partnership agreement.

“Dati rati po ang tingin natin ay kumuha lamang ang mga bansa ng ating mga skilled worker, including our nurses at naiiwan na walang workers or nurses dito sa Pilipinas. Nagkasundo ‘yung Germany at Pilipinas na mag-focus doon sa sustainable type of recruitment kung saan titignan natin kung paano sila makakatulong,” Caunan said.

(Before, we thought that other countries would only get our skilled workers, including our nurses and we are left with no workers or nurses here in the country. Germany and the Philippines agreed to focus on the sustainable type of recruitment where they will see how they can help.)

Asked for ways the partnership could help the country, Caunan mentioned the upgrading of facilities, exchange of information, and faculty development.

“In our agreements, including the agreement with Germany, ay hina-highlight natin na joint effort dapat tayo pagdating sa pagde-develop ng bagong teachers para sa ating mag nurses,” she said.

“Ongoing na ‘yan sa Germany. Meron na rin silang programa dito kung saan nagkakaroon sila ng scholarships sa mga nursing students at tinutulungan rin nila ‘yung ibang— may mga ka-partner na schools na sila dito sa Pilipinas. Ang alam ko dalawa as of date. Tinutulungan nila when it comes to, of course upgrading ‘yung kanilang facilities sa curriculum to better prepare the workers,” she added.  

(This is ongoing in Germany. They have a program where they have scholarships for nursing students and they also have partner schools in the Philippines. I think there are two as of date. They are helping with regards to the curriculum to better prepare the workers.)

Baerbock also earlier expressed willingness to work with the country on the Loss and Damage Fund that aims to address the impact of climate change.

Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to visit Germany in March.

Marcos made the announcement during the courtesy call of German Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at Malacañang Palace.

''We have been in contact with one another over the past few months simply because we have been trying to arrange a visit to Germany. And I think we finally have managed, with your embassy’s staff, we’ve been driving them a little crazy,'' Marcos said.

''We keep moving things because things have been coming up. But I think we have come down on the March 12th, the March 12 date. So I can commit to that now,'' he added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News