RP to set up labor office in Sydney--official

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 12:10:00 08/20/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Following the projected influx of Filipinos seeking work in Australia, the labor department is preparing to set up a Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Sydney in two or three months’ time, said an official who has been tasked to head the office as labor attaché.

Victor Ablan said that aside from facilitating job, the office would also attend to those with problems with their employment.

“We don’t want to be reactive. We want to be proactive, foreseeing and preparing for possible problems before they crop up,” he said.

In a press conference last week, Labor Secretary Arturo Brion said the Department of Foreign Affairs has communicated to his office that the former did not have an objection to the setting up of such an office.

Ablan denied that the plan was in response to Senate Pro Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada’s call for the appointment of one labor attaché each in the Australian Capital Territory and in the Northern Territory.

“We have prepared for this since a couple of months ago. [Estrada] must know about the situation there too,” he said.

Estrada retained his chairmanship of the Senate labor committee.

Australia has opened its doors to foreign professionals and skilled workers. Recently, a partnership between an employers’ group in Australia and a recruitment agency in the Philippines has offered to subsidize the deployment of skilled overseas Filipino workers and professionals to the continent.

According to recruitment agency MAB International Services Inc., Australia is in need of various professionals and skilled workers.

The professionals needed are nurses, pharmacists, various information technology jobs (systems managers, software designers, systems designers, systems programmers, applications and analyst programmers), accountants, auditors, landscape architects, engineers (civil, mechanical, electrical, and electronic), and interior decorators.

The skilled workers needed are carpenters, metal fabricators, welders, motor mechanics, vehicle painters, vehicle trimmers, vehicle body makers, butchers, cabinetmakers, tailors, furniture finishers, hairdressers, dressmakers, apparel cutters, aircraft maintenance engineers, refrigeration and air conditioning technicians, petroleum and gas plant operators, power generation plant operators, heavy equipment mechanics, drillers and other mining workers.