PH, Czech Republic ink labor pact

MANILA: The Philippines and the Czech Republic signed Thursday the Joint Communiqué on Labor Consultations Mechanism to protect Filipino workers' rights in the Central European nation. The labor pact was signed by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Czech Republic's Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs on the sidelines of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s bilateral meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel in Prague Castle. In a joint press statement with Pavel, Marcos welcomed the signing of the agreement, noting that the top priority of the Philippines is the protection of the rights and well-being of the Filipino people. 'We are ready to cooperate in ensuring the orderly deployment of Filipinos to your country, in accordance with both Czech and Philippine laws,' he said, as he assured cooperation with the Czech Republic after its recent announcement to raise the quota for Filipino workers to 10,300 per year starting May 2024 from 5,500 in January 2024. The DMW proposed the signing of the Jo int Communiqué on Labor Consultations Mechanism to tackle labor issues and ensure a more organized deployment of Filipino workers. Communication Secretary Cheloy Garafil said the labor deal between the two nations aims to establish a system to discuss areas of mutual interests, including proper procedures for employing Filipino citizens in the Central European country. 'Given the increasing demand for Filipino workers, DMW deemed it necessary for the Philippines and the Czech Republic to enter into a labor agreement, aimed at an orderly deployment; outlining the rights and responsibilities of both participants; and ensuring that recruitment is implemented in a fair and ethical manner,' Garafil said in a statement. Key provisions of the agreement include ensuring transparency in recruitment and fair treatment of Filipino workers. As of Dec. 31, 2023, there are about 7,026 Filipinos in the Czech Republic, according to data from the Czech Ministry of Interior. The Filipino workers in the Czech Republic are engaged in the processing industry, automotive, repair of appliances, manufacturing, IT communications, real estate, health or wellness, and household service work. Based on current figures, Prague remains host to the highest number of Filipinos in the Czech Republic with 1,511, followed by South Moravia (1,242) and Central Bohemia (905), among other jurisdictions. Source: Philippines News Agency