OFWs seen to benefit from South Korea's planned Employment Permit System expansion By GMA Integrated News

South Korea is considering expanding its Employment Permit System (EPS) for skilled workers, which is expected to benefit thousands of Filipino workers there, according to Ian Cruz's report on Unang Balita. "Meron kang pagkakataon na magkaroon pa ng isang kontrata na medyo mas mahaba kaysa dun sa una mong kontrata," said Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega. (You will be given an opportunity to have another contract which will be a bit longer than your first contract.) South Korean authorities, however, will have to assess if the foreign worker deserves a longer contract. "Merong requirements na tinitignan nila, kasama na 'yung language proficiency," Dizon-De Vega said. (They are looking into several requirements, like language proficiency.) South Korea's EPS, which allows Korean employers to hire foreign workers if no local workers are interested on the job, has been in effect for almost two decades. The program reportedly covers more than half of the estimated 63,000 Filipino workers in South Korea. Aside from factory workers, South Korea is also mulling hiring domestic workers from the Philippines, the Unang Balita report said. "May ginagawa silang pilot study at possible pilot implementation sa mga darating na buwan, pero maliit lang na numero initially po," said Dizon-De Vega. (They are conducting a pilot study with possible pilot implementation in the coming months, but the initial number is not that big.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News