200,141 New Jobs for Filipinos Confirmed

Lily B. Libo-on
Khaleej Times Online
13 April 2009

DUBAI — A manifesto confirming 200,141 new jobs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East and Northern Africa Region was presented to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo at the opening of the Job Summit on Sunday in Dubai.

Labour Attache Virginia Calvez of the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai and Muriel Joseph, Chief People Officer of Saudi Oger Ltd, representing the employers attending the two-day Job Summit, presented the manifesto to the President.

Kuwait offered the most number of jobs at 39,169 followed by UAE with 39,128; and Saudi Arabia with 31,097. Libya, Arab and African states came in with 21,517; Oman, 11,356; and, Bahrain, 3,446. In her keynote address at the opening the Job Summit, President Arroyo said that the Filipinos remain the most sought-after workers in the region. “In these trying times, both overseas and domestic, the Philippine government will always assure our workers that their efforts will never go unreciprocated. Philippine Labour Secretary Marianito Roque, who is organising this Job Summit, is spearheading the government support for the distressed and displaced workers,” she said.

She stressed that the Job Summit in Dubai is intended to expand the 
marketing initiatives of the Philippine government to generate jobs, which have continued to earn double-digit growth even during the global economic meltdown.

“Our government is discussing bilateral discussions to open up new jobs abroad and this manifesto specifies the country and the skills offered by different governments, employers and recruitment agencies in MENA, worth billions of pesos,” she said.

She said that the Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC) is starting to conduct licensure examinations for Filipinos in this region, who seek licences in the fields of mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering, architecture, accountancy and teaching.

“The government will not sit idle but, instead, it will help our workers, who are our modern-day heroes. We make it easier for them to beef up their qualifications on their worksite so they do not have to go back to the Philippines just to be licensed,” she said.

The Job Summit, which ends today, has drawn 136 employers from various countries in the Middle East and 
Northern Africa, including the Emirate Group UAE needing 350 workers, Dubai World Security, 669, Kerzner International (Atlantis Hotel UAE), 3,944, Consolidated Contractors, 5,000, and Almari Group, 616.

President Arroyo’s visit came a day ahead of the original schedule after the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok which she was scheduled to attend was cancelled due to security concerns when Thai protesters blocked the entrance to the conference site in Pattaya Thailand.

lily@khaleejtimes.com