POEA wants RP training for Japan workers
Manila Bulletin - Thursday, February 5
By:  JC Bello Ruiz

Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) 
Administrator Jennifer Manalili wants part of the training of 
Filipino nurses and caregivers applying under the Japan-
Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) held 
here in the Philippines instead of in the "Land of the Rising 
Sun."

This as some of the first batch of Filipino workers on 
JPEPA reportedly backed out while on training in Japan 
due to homesickness.

During the recent courtesy call of officials of the Japan 
International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS)-
POEA's counterpart agency in Japan under the JPEPA, 
Manalili proposed the holding of the language training in 
the Philippines, instead of only in Japan.

"The move is expected to benefit our nurses and 
caregivers as it will give them more time to be with their 
families as they learn the Japanese language at the same 
time. The actual job immersion will have to be done in 
Japan though," Manalili said.

The POEA chief is set to go to Japan by the end of the 
month to visit the various healthcare institutions where 
Filipino nurses and caregivers conduct their trainings.

Manalili hopes to meet with her counterparts to discuss 
the arrangements for the entry of Filipinos in the health 
care sector as well as to negotiate for better terms and 
conditions for them.

The JICWELS delegation included: Takashi Tsunoda, 
managing director; Tetsuji Nishiyama, secretary general; 
Tetsushi Takagi, deputy director; Hiroya Yaguchi, program 
coordinator; and Labor Attache Haruhiro Jono of the 
Embassy of Japan.

Also in the group were Rie Negishi, program coordinator; 
Tamio Hayashi, Ryoko Maeda and Hiroaki Ishii.

The POEA is currently holding interview sessions for the 
candidates of the next batch of nurses and caregivers 
under JPEPA at its head office in Ortigas, Mandaluyong 
City. The interviews started last Feb. 1 and will last until 
Feb. 6.

Up for grabs are 77 nurse positions and 101 caregivers 
for deployment to 82 Japanese health and caregiving 
institutions.

Qualified candidate nurses and caregivers need to 
complete a six-month Japanese language training in Japan 
and undertake on-the-job training at their respective 
hospitals.

POEA said nurses should be able to pass the licensure 
examination in Japan before they can work as registered 
nurses and are given three chances to take the licensure 
examination.

Caregivers, on the other hand, are required to complete at 
least three years on-the-job training before they can take 
the national examination for caregivers and work in Japan 
for an indefinite period after passing the examination.