A new batch of Filipino workers were recently hired under South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS) labor migration program, bringing to 251 the nationals integrated in the system this December.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced that 42 Filipino workers arrived in South Korea on Dec. 17 to work under the government-to-government program between South Korea and Philippines.
Of the 251 workers hired this month, 200 are regular EPS workers while 51 are Sincere (or special re-entry) workers.
Philippine Ambassador to South Korean Ma. Theresa Dizon-De Vega cited "the coherent and coordinated efforts of the Philippine and Korean authorities" to facilitate the "orderly resumption of entry of workers" attesting to the strength of cooperation in the implementation of the EPS for the last 17 years.
“In the past months, we have been undertaking representations with Korean authorities to lift the previous suspension of visa issuance for Filipino EPS workers," De Vega said.
The Filipino envoy also said that the Philippine Embassy, together with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) worked closely with Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), the Korean Embassy in the Philippines, the Human Resource Development Service in Korea (HRDK) as well as the HRD EPS Center in the Philippines to ensure that the work introduction procedure, including the pre-departure and departure arrangement for all the batches of EPS workers would happen in the shortest time possible.
According to the health protocols of the foreign country, the newly-arrived workers shall observe a minimum 10-day quarantine period in facilities designated by the MOEL and HRDK, and managed by the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business (KBIZ), where they will also be completing their post-arrival training, medical examination, and PCR-testing before they report to their respective employers.
All workers, De Vega said, have been vaccinated against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and have negative PCR test results prior to their departure from the Philippines.
De Vega also enjoined the arriving workers to continue honing their skills and to actively participate in Embassy-led programs for the Filipino community such as financial literacy, entrepreneurship development, reintegration, and know-your-rights seminars which aim to support the successful sojourn of Filipino workers in South Korea.
“The Philippines remains committed to the effective and efficient implementation of the EPS, and will continue to cooperate in measures that will ensure the continued resumption of entry of our workers to Korea,” the ambassador said.