MANILA -- The sealing of recent labor deals and ongoing negotiations abroad can be attributed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s recent visits to different countries in the last few months, Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Ople said there are ongoing bilateral labor talks with Romania, Hungary, Portugal and Hong Kong as a result of the President’s active participation in several summits and official meetings abroad. 

“Alam mo a lot of it really can be attributed to the President’s popularity. But we also have to shout out as well doon sa reputation, excellent reputation ng Filipino workers,” Ople said.

“The visits that we have had paved way for a lot of these new conversations. For example, iyong Singapore, we signed a joint statement or communiqué with the Minister of Health,” the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) secretary added.

The Philippine side, Ople said, has to go to Singapore this March to finalize the implementation of the protocols as the country’s Southeast Asian neighbor eyes hiring more Filipino health workers.

Portugal, on the other hand, plans to employ Filipino workers for its tourism sector and Ople said they would meet with the officials of the European country in the first quarter of this year to discuss its labor requirements.

Romania, Hungary, and Portugal are the new emerging markets offering the Philippines bilateral labor talks.

According to Ople, Hong Kong’s Minister of Labor and Welfare also broached the possibility of holding exploratory talks on the deployment of Filipino caregivers to Hong Kong although the discussions are still in the early stages.

And for the President’s visit to Japan, the DMW will be renewing a bilateral labor agreement forged under the labor department, which will expire soon.

In addition, as the country lifted its employment ban on Saudi Arabia, the Philippines is looking at sending 6,000 Filipino workers to the kingdom starting this month.

“I think initially, we are looking at 6,000 new hires for Saudi Arabia alone, for now until March, nagkakaproblema na lang sa booking ng flights, dahil nasabay sa holiday season. So doon nagkakahirapan. But these numbers will continue to grow,” the DMW secretary said. (PND)