Manila: More than 200 Filipino nurses and care workers leaving for Japan within the week were hailed 'healthcare ambassadors' as the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) underscored the growing trust placed on Filipino medical professionals overseas. DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, in a news release Monday, said 211 Filipino healthcare workers are in the 18th batch, which consists of five nurses and 206 care workers, deployed under the Philippine-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA).

According to Philippines News Agency, Cacdac expressed his admiration for the healthcare workers by referring to them as ambassadors of Filipino compassion, excellence, and resilience. He emphasized that the 18th batch is a testament to the deep and enduring trust Japan holds for the Filipino people. The DMW highlighted that the group completed six months of preparatory Japanese language training and pre-departure orientation programs aimed at preparing them for work and daily life in Japan.

The training included language instruction, cultural orientation, and workplace preparation to help candidates adjust to Japan's healthcare environment and eventually assist them in obtaining local certifications and licenses. The group is scheduled to leave on June 10 and 11 and will be deployed to various hospitals and eldercare facilities across Japan.

Cacdac encouraged the departing workers to remain adaptable as they begin working overseas and to pursue the professional qualifications required in Japan. He assured them of government support throughout their employment abroad, through the DMW and its overseas Migrant Workers Offices.

The send-off ceremony was led by Undersecretary Felicitas Bay and the Pre-Employment Government Placement Bureau, and attended by Japanese officials and representatives from partner institutions, including Minister for Economic Affairs Yokota Naobumi, Labor Attach© Suzuki Yuki, and officials from the Japan Foundation.