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.