The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has announced a government-to-government program with Croatia, offering 3,500 job openings for Filipino hotel workers.

In an interview at the DMW office in Makati City on Tuesday, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Patricia Yvonne Caunan said the initiative highlights the growing labor ties between the Philippines and several European countries, creating more employment opportunities for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“Ang unang pasabi sa amin ay around 3,500 ang pangunang job order through the government-to-government program na (We were told of an initial of about 3,500 job orders through the government-to-government program) with no placement fee,” Caunan said.

“Nasa final stage na ng pagbalangkas ng rules on government-to-government pero ang mensahe sa amin ng Croatian side ay kailangan na nila ang mga (We are at the final stage of drafting the rules on government-to-government but the message from the Croatian side is that they need) workers this summer, which is latter part of April and May,” she added.

She said Filipino workers with experience in housekeeping, food service and front desk operations may apply directly through the DMW’s Pre Employment and Government Placement Bureau.

Aside from Croatia, Caunan said the DMW also secured labor agreements with Slovenia and Hungary.

“Sa Croatia, it is 1,000 euros above. Sa Slovenia naman, nasa around 1,500 to 2,500 euros, caregivers (In Croatia, it is 1,000 euros above. In Slovenia, it is around 1,500 to 2,500 euros for caregivers),” she said.

A salary of 1,000 euros is approximately PHP62,000.

Caunan said the DMW is helping in the upskilling of OFWs with the help of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. (PNA)