Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Friday called on the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to work on a no-placement-fee scheme for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) eyeing Japan.
Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senator Christopher Lawrence Go expressed confidence that bilateral relations between the Philippines and Japan would strengthen further and generate more economic opportunities for Filipinos.
Romualdez made the call as Japanese companies and employers, during a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., vowed to hire more Filipinos.
Mr. Marcos is currently on a five-day visit to Japan. Romualdez is with the President.
OFWs expected to be hired by Japanese employers include seafarers, professionals, and non-skilled workers.
“I hope that the DMW can engage the recruitment industry and Japanese employers on how to make Japan a 100-percent no placement fee labor market,” the Speaker said.
He also said while workers under the Technical Internship Training Program and specified skilled laborers need not pay placement fees, there are Filipino job seekers who fall outside these categories that are being asked to pay, such as professionals and highly skilled workers.
He expressed elation over how Japanese employers treat their Filipino employees.
“We are happy to hear directly from our OFWs in Japan on how much they are valued by their employers, and vice-versa,” he said.
The Speaker appealed to workers in Japan and job applicants in Manila “to report excessive and illegal fees to the DMW and through our Migrant Workers Offices in Osaka and Tokyo.”
“Congress will work with DMW in strengthening existing laws and regulations to enable the government to run after and punish those who collect illegal fees,” he said.
Zubiri and Go were also with the presidential delegation to Japan.
Go said he looks forward for more agreements between the two countries that will bring investments and job opportunities to the Philippines.
“What is important now is the economy and employment, and I’m sure President Marcos will bring home a lot of investments to provide jobs for our poor countrymen,” Go said in a statement.
The senator likewise thanked Japan for all the assistance it has extended the country over the years.
“I’m sure Japan has been very supportive to our country even during the previous administrations. Several of our projects here were initiated and supported by them,” Go noted.
For his part, Zubiri batted for a visiting forces agreement (VFA) with Japan.
“It makes strategic sense. Japan is an ally, and with ongoing territorial disputes over our waters, we stand to benefit from stronger security cooperation with our allies,” Zubiri said in an earlier statement.
“Japan is already offering vital support to our Coast Guard, not just through vessels and equipment but also through other capacity-building opportunities such as training. The VFA will strengthen our partnership even further,” he added.
He said that while, peaceful diplomacy remains as the country’s foremost move toward conflict resolution, the VFA will be able to empower our Coast Guard and Armed Forces in times of conflict.
“Apart from the VFA being crucial to building up our security and defense, it will also be massively helpful to us in times of naturalcalamities and disasters,” Zubiri said.