The 14th Preparatory Japanese-Language Training for the Filipino Candidates Nurses and Certified Care Workers under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) began last 24th of November 2021 with the opening ceremony held online. Two hundred fifty provisional candidates were accepted under the Program out of which 200 certified care workers were female and 50 were male. This would be the second time in which all candidates would undergo a 6-month intensive training on Japanese language basics online.
Director Tsutomu “Ben” Suzuki of the Japan Foundation Manila, the Minister and Consul General Mr. Okajima Hiroyuki from the Embassy of Japan, the Deputy Administrator Atty. Villamor Plan of the Welfare and Employment Office from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), the Director of OOCS Ms. Maria Marquez from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, and the Undersecretary Atty. Claro Arellano of the Overseas Operations and Adjudication Cluster from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) imparted wisdom and emphasized how Filipinos continue to rise and face new experiences with tenacity and competence.
Mr. Philip B Sanvictores, the President of the Nihongo Center Foundation, shared that language is at the heart of every human connection, which is the essence of the Japanese and Filipino interpersonal relationships. Acquiring fluency in the Japanese language can serve as a stepping stone towards personal and professional development.
Upon arrival in Japan, the trainees will continue their pre-deployment Nihongo training for another six months before getting assigned to various hospitals and caregiving institutes.
