RP to promote skilled workers overseas

RP to promote skilled workers overseas

MANILA (AFP): The Philippines will promote its skilled workers
overseas, seeking to place them in high technical positions, as
one of its priorities in 1995, Foreign Secretary Roberto Romulo
said over the weekend.

Romulo also said that the Labor and Foreign Affairs
Departments expected the number of unskilled overseas contract
workers -- such as domestic helpers and bar entertainers -- to go
down.

"I think we're one in saying that if we continue to look at
the domestic helpers, unskilled workers and entertainers, there
will continue to be a downward trend and we will encourage it,"
he said.

He added that "where there are opportunities for Filipinos
working abroad, where it is mutually beneficial... for the
country because we will harness technology, we will try to find
vehicles and mechanisms to support that."

Experience gained abroad can then be used for local technical
development.

Romulo noted that in 1994, his department had been mainly
concerned with helping Filipino workers who were in trouble
abroad, such as the 4,500 nationals who had to be repatriated
from Saudi Arabia for overstaying.

But "in 1995, the department of foreign affairs and the labor
department will have to find ways to promote and develop their
skills," he said.

There are at least 2.45 million Filipino workers registered to
work abroad. However many more are working abroad illegally.

The Department of Foreign Affairs noted that of the 222,471
registered workers deployed in 1994, about 30 percent belonged to
the unskilled category.

Overseas workers are one of the Philippines' top three sources
of foreign exchange.