POEA: Recruiters Lament OFW Hiring Trend

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

Found an article reference for OFWs. Hope you find nuggets of info in this one.


A CONSULTANT for the local recruitment industry was dismayed over the prevailing trend of growing number of rehires being deployed compared to the decreasing number of new hires over the past three years.

In a statement, recruitment veteran Emmanuel Geslani said there is a contrasting trend between new hires and rehires as shown in the records of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).


“The data significantly shows that most of the deployment of POEA depends on the large number of rehires returning to their job sites instead of an increase of new hires, meaning that fewer Filipinos are qualified to work abroad,” said Geslani.

Based on the POEA data, the new hires are 376,973 in 2008; 349,715 in 2009; and 341,966 in 2010.
On the other hand, records also reveal that rehires are 597,426 in 2008; 742,447 in 2009; 781,710 in 2010.
Geslani said the “trend” simply shows that there are less qualified Filipinos to meet the job orders being sent to the POEA.

“They remain vacant since most of the positions are difficult to fill up or, simply, the country does not have the competent and qualified manpower to replace our aging OFWs,” he said.

The industry leader called on the government to enhance more on the training efforts it has been conducting, especially those concerning highly-skilled occupations.

“The government should intensify training of manpower and apprenticeship for construction workers and other skills to replace the aging manpower for the continuation of the labor exports,” said Geslani.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/07/17/recruiters-lament-ofw-hiring-trend-167368

POEA: Saudization Will Not Be Implemented On 'Full Scale'

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

POEA news on the saudization issue:



A Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) official on Wednesday said the “Saudization" policy has no impact yet on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the oil-rich Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

At a press conference, POEA administrator Carlos Cao said “Saudization" — a nationalization-related labor policy that directs companies to prioritize Saudi nationals in employment — will not be implemented “drastically" and “on a full scale."

“If they move on a full-scale implementation, how can they send home the big number of migrant workers there?" Cao said, adding that the Saudization policy is “a complex and complicated policy," which will be implemented in a “gradual and calibrated" manner.

Saudi Arabia is currently home to more than 8 million expatriates, with Filipinos comprising of about 1.2 million expatriates.

Check status of companies

Still, Filipino Migrant Workers Group chairman Francisco Aguilar Jr. advised OFWs in Saudi Arabia to “check the status of their company" and prepare for return to the Philippines.

“We advise them to determine if their company is in the yellow and red categories. If so, they can scout for other companies, which are in the green and platinum [blue] categories," Aguilar, a former contract worker in Saudi, explained.

“It will bring no harm to them for it is clear in the Nitaqat system that those in the green and blue [categories] can get workers from the yellow and red category, even without the [no objection certificate]," he added.

Alternatives

Should OFWs from Saudi Arabia be displaced, Department of Labor and Employment communications director Nicon Fameronag said government will provide reintegration assistance to returning OFWs.

Cao, for his part, said OFWs from Saudi Arabia may go to other possible market destinations such as Guam, Australia, and Canada.

A recent report quoted Philippine Ambassador to Doha Cresente Relacion as saying that those to be affected by Saudization might go to Qatar.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/226166/pinoyabroad/poea-saudization-will-not-be-implemented-drastically 

Recruitment of Filipino workers to Saudi declined -- POEA

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

News bit from Zamboanga:


Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has revealed that the local recruitment agencies here have lied low on recruiting Filipino workers to Saudi Arabia as it is prioritizing its own people through the Saudization program.

The Saudization program, refers to the national policy of Saudi Arabia to encourage employment of Saudi nationals in the private sector and reduce unemployment.

POEA Regional Director Renegold Macarulay said that the recruitment agencies have lied low and that they are still awaiting signal from the Foreign affairs of Saudi Arabia.

At least 14 recruitment agencies are operating in Zamboanga City, it was learned from Macarulay.

Macarulay said that as of this time his office did not yet receive any advisory regarding the Saudization program.

He, however, said there are still some 5,000 to 7,000 job vacancies in the Middle East countries.

The POEA official revealed that in the region from January to June 2011 the office was able to assist 7,171 OFW's to work in other countries while last year during the same period they assisted only 5,750.

According to Macarulay, Saudi Arabia and Middle East countries are the top employer and destination of the OFW's in this Region.

Other destination includes South East Asian Countries like Hong Kong and Singapore.

Most of the workers who are working in the Middle East works as household service, nurse, and medical staff.

http://www.zamboangatoday.ph/index.php/news/13-top-stories/5294--recruitment-of-filipino-workers-to-saudi-declined-poea-.html 

POEA: Gov't Should Not Burden OFWs – VP Binay

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

VP Binay reacted to the OFW news showing the harrowing experience of getting an OEC at the POEA. Hopefully change would be on the horizon with this development. Read the news bit:

Vice-president Jejomar Binay on Thursday asked the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and other government agencies to simplify the processing of documents for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
 
"Government should not be a burden to our OFWs," Binay said in a statement. "We should exert all effort to assist them and make their interaction with the government offices simple, convenient and pleasant."

Binay is reacting to a newspaper report relating the experience of an OFW who had trouble applying for an exit clearance at the POEA.

Binay said that he hopes POEA Administrator Carlos Cao would investigate and resolve the matter as soon as possible.

"I trust that Administrator Cao shares my sentiments that the government should work for the welfare of all OFWs, and this entails facilitating their papers speedily and without hassles," Binay added.

Binay is the Presidential Adviser on OFW concerns. 

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/07/07/11/govt-should-not-burden-ofws-%E2%80%93-binay