Press Release
August 28, 2007

SCRUTINIZING JPEPA:
Senate wants to know real score on employment
prospects of Filipinos in Japan

What's the real score on employment prospects of Filipinos in connection with the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA)?

Senate President Manny Villar said he would like to know the specifics on this issue which prompted his office to write Malacañang officially to ask for supporting dossier.

In his letter to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Senate President requested "detailed information" on "the effects of JPEPA vis--vis Filipino professionals, and the validation that Filipinos may be allowed to practice their professions in Japan and vice-versa."

Villar cited a Senate Economic Planning Office study in July which compared the salaries of caregivers in different countries: US$ 1,554 in Japan which is lower than in the United States which is at US$3,359 and in the United Kingdom which is at US$2,059.

"Given the stringent Japanese requirements and the existence of other more lucrative markets for our nurses and caregivers," The Senate President asked the Executive department for a scientific "assessment on whether Japan would be an attractive market for Filipino health professionals."

JPEPA seeks to establish a formal arrangement for the acceptance of "1,000 health professionals" to work in Japan for the first two years of its enforcement, after which it shall be subject to further negotiations.

"JPEPA is an all-encompassing trade pact, hence, amendments may not be made," Villar emphasized.

JPEPA further states that Filipino nationals would be allowed to practice their professions in Japan, subject to certain conditions. The list includes legal services, accountancy and taxation services, architectural and engineering services, computer-related services, services incidental to agriculture, audio-visual services, higher education services, tourism and travel services, entertainment (theater and live band), and maritime services, as cited by Villar in his letter.

Aside from the said issue, the Office of the Senate President also asked for dossier on: JPEPA's impact on the economy, investments, trading, grants given by the Japan government to the Philippines in the form of official development assistance funds and similar financial and poverty alleviation assistance; and the agreement between Japan and the Philippines on the trading of toxic and hazardous wastes in the light of the exchange of notes and respective commitments between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Secretary Alberto Romulo that Japan would not be exporting toxic wastes to the Philippines.

The Senate President's letter was sent last Aug.23 to the Office of the President through the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office. Villar's office was inundated with queries regarding the prospect of employment in Japan in connection with JPEPA. The Survey on Overseas Filipinos reported that at least 1.33 million Filipinos worked overseas during the period of April to September 2005.

News Latest News Feed