The Philippines and the Czech Republic have signed two separate trade documents that cover a couple of industries including transportation, investment, health, energy, and more as the number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with long-term visas in the European Union (EU) state increases.
According to the Manila Bulletin, the two countries agreed to expand bilateral trade during the first Joint Economic Consultations (JEC) meeting held in Prague on Friday. The meeting was hosted by the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The Philippine embassy in Prague said the delegations discussed a wide array of economic trade sectors. According to Philippine Trade and Industry Undersecretary Rodolfo Ceferino and Czech Industry and Trade Vice Minister Vladimir Bartl, the Philippines' Board of Investments (BOI) and Czechinvest signed a protocol and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that marks the parties' willingness for further cooperation.
During the JEC meeting, officials from the Philippine delegation recognized the Czech Republic's introduction of the Philippine Regime that seeks to help OFWs and businessmen in food sectors as well as other industries in the corporate realm.
Late in February, it was revealed that Filipinos who held long-term work visas in the Czech Republic saw a hike of 43 percent ever since the Philippine Regime for Migrant Workers project was established.
First introduced last year by the Czech government, the initiative targeted faster processing of long-term work visas for OFWs in the European country. The initiative aimed to foster 1,000 Filipinos on an annual basis. Since then, the Czech Ministry of Interior recorded an increase of 1,512 OFWs in the country last year from 1,059 in 2017.
"This year, from January to mid-February, there were already 199 applications received by MIT," the Philippine Embassy in Prague said at that time. "With the commencement of the Regime Philippines, the Embassy believes that the number of Filipinos in the Czech Republic will continue to grow and it is necessary for the Embassy to oversee the growing concerns of labor-related issues that it currently addresses," Philippine Ambassador to Prague, Ombra Jainal, said.
Earlier this month, it was reported that the automotive and manufacturing industries in the Czech Republic opened the most opportunities for Filipino workers. The segments included processed meat production and metal manufacturing.
Under the Philippine Regime Project, most of the job posts that fill up quickly are in the electronic equipment, industrial truck operating, mechanical machinery assembly, repairs, telco installation, and general electronics sectors.
As part of the agreement between the Philippines and the Czech Republic, Manila will be hosting the second JEC meeting next year.
