OFW upskilling, retraining programs to be strengthened – Marcos

PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. on Wednesday vowed to strengthen retraining and upskilling programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially for retirees and those returning to the Philippines for good.

He also reassured them of government’s assistance in finding work or earning a living.

In an interview before he left Brunei last Wednesday, the President recognized that some OFWs were forced to return to the country after losing their jobs at the height of the COVD-19 pandemic, with some of them even unable to return to their jobs abroad or even find local work.

“That’s why we have increased the retraining,” he said adding the programs will enable the OFWs to be reintegrated into the local workforce or continue to seek employment in other countries.

He said these programs, primarily led by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), are not limited to OFWs but also open to the working population in the Philippines.

The President said the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is also implementing the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced workers (TUPAD) Project, a program to assist workers who lost their jobs.

Marcos said the government also has joint programs with the private sector, such as those in the maritime industry, which not just re-train and upgrade the skills of the Filipino workers but helped place them in private sectors where there are vacancies.

The President, during his state visit to Brunei, recognized the contribution of the OFWs both to the Philippines and Brunei.

Marcos said that more than the remittances that they send, the OFWs also showcase to the world the hard work, perseverance and excellence of a Filipino worker abroad.

Marcos flew to Brunei on Tuesday for a two-day visit before flying to Singapore for a working visit from May 29 to 31.

The President, who arrived Wednesday afternoon in Singapore, had private engagements and meetings on Thursday.

He is set to address the 21st edition of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue on Friday where he vowed to articulate the legal and geopolitical position of the Philippines on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and