MANILA – More jobs abroad will be available to would-be overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as the country continues to sign Bilateral Labor Agreements (BLAs) with host countries.

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief Bernard Olalia reported on Thursday that markets are opening for Filipino who are skilled, professionals, and health workers, among others.

During the Laging Handa briefing, Olalia said Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III is currently in Germany to sign an agreement for the deployment of Filipino workers there.

He said aside from Germany, the United Kingdom (UK) is also looking for health workers.

“Japan for skilled and professionals, Taiwan for factory workers, Korea for factory workers, New Zealand and Australia for skilled workers,” he added.

“Romania, Croatia, and Hungary are (also) looking for skilled workers,” the POEA administrator said.

At the same time, he said that Filipinos who were hired as hotel workers in Israel have already been deployed.

“We began to send hotel workers to Israel. They are the ones whose deployment was delayed during the pandemic. (Some) 61 deployed first, with another 400 next,” Olalia said.

He added that aside from hotel workers, the country also deploys caregivers.

“There (are) 35,000 job opportunities for OFWs. Today, more than 2,000 caregivers are deployed in Israel. And there are also 2,600 who are just waiting for their actual deployment dates. So many are interested in working in Israel,” he said.

The signing of BLA between the host and deploying countries is important to be able to ensure that the rights of the workers are protected and their welfare is promoted.

The Philippines has existing labor agreements with other countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. (PNA)