PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said the exemplary performance of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Japan helped draw more Japanese investments in the country.
“Our job [to secure new investments] became easier because of the good reputation of Filipinos in Japan . . All of the [firms] which we talked to said they don’t need convincing on how reliable Filipinos are,” Marcos said during his meeting with the Filipino community in Tokyo, Japan last Sunday.
He noted Filipinos are admired in Japan for their kindness, hard work, honesty, and proficiency in the English language.
“That is why our talks [with Japanese firms] focused on details of our partnerships,” Marcos said.
Marcos said the additional investments from Japan and other countries, which he visited since assuming the presidency last year, will generate more jobs in the country.
At least 35 investment deals were signed by the Philippines delegate with their Japanese counterparts during the official visit of the President in Japan from Feb. 8 to 12, 2023.
The new investments will be crucial so the government could provide new quality employment opportunities to those who were permanently displaced since the onset of the pandemic, according to Marcos.
“We are gradually seeing how we are transforming the economy and giving more opportunities to our citizens to work,” Marcos said.
The President assured the Filipino community in Japan they will continue to get government support through the Philippine embassy in Japan and the newly created Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).
Last week, DMW announced that more than 80 Japanese employers have expressed their interest in hiring more Filipino skilled workers.
The Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA) also committed to continue recruiting Filipino seafarers for its ships.