Day: March 20, 2022

More employment opportunities will soon be available to Filipino workers as the labor department formally signed a labor cooperation agreement with the government of Yukon, Canada.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Minister Ranj Pillai inked the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the employment and protection of Filipino workers in a virtual ceremony on March 18.

“The Memorandum of Understanding that we are signing today not only strengthens our bilateral labor relations but will also enhance our cooperation in the protection, recruitment and deployment of Filipino workers in Yukon,” said Bello.

The agreement aims to facilitate the deployment of Filipino workers under the Yukon Nominee Program, which is driven by employers looking to fill critical vacancies unoccupied by Canadians or permanent residents.

The MOU will be implemented by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and Yukon’s Department of Economic Development.

The agreement provides that employers and their agents, including immigration consultants, are prohibited from charging any fees for recruitment services and selection.

Both Bello and Pillai welcomed the MOU, which was negotiated since 2019.

“It has been almost three years since we’ve met and signed the Philippines-Yukon Joint Communiqué in Whitehorse, Yukon. The Joint Communiqué paved the way for the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippines and Yukon on the Employment and Protection of Filipinos under the Yukon Nominee Program,” said Bello.

The screening of qualified Filipino applicants will begin as soon as the implementing guidelines are approved by the Joint Working Committee to be represented by Consul General Maria Andrelita Austria, Deputy Consul General Arlene Magno, and POLO Vancouver Labor Attaché Jainal Rasul, Jr.

Bello, who was accompanied by DOLE Assistant Secretary Alice Visperas and POLO Vancouver Labor Attaché Jainal Rasul, Jr., signed the MOU at the Philippine Consulate in New York; while Minister Pillai, who was accompanied by some Filipino community leaders in Whitehorse, Yukon, signed the MOU at the Philippine Consulate in Vancouver.

There are approximately 5,000 Filipinos in Yukon and most of them have already become permanent residents or Canadian citizens.

Source: Department Of Labor and Employment Republic of Philippines

The Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will undertake his first Official Visit to Vietnam from 20 to 22 March 2022 upon the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, His Excellency Pham Minh Chinh.

YAB Prime Minister will hold a meeting with His Excellency Pham Minh Chinh to review the implementation progress of the Plan of Action 2021 – 2025 of the Malaysia – Vietnam Strategic Partnership. Both Leaders will also exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concerns.

The two Prime Ministers will witness the exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) on Legal Cooperation Activities; and Recruitment, Employment and Repatriation of Workers. Malaysia and Vietnam will also exchange a Letter of Intent (LOI) on cooperation in diplomatic training. Additionally, BERNAMA and Vietnam News Agency would be signing an Agreement on Professional Cooperation.

Based on the programmes Vietnam has lined up, YAB Prime Minister is scheduled to hold separate meetings with the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam, President of Vietnam, and Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam. YAB Prime Minister will also engage with the Malaysian business community and Keluarga Malaysia in Vietnam.

The Official Visit reflects the importance of the Malaysia – Vietnam relations as close neighbours and partners in ASEAN. Both countries will commemorate their 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023.

YAB Prime Minister will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs YB Dato’ Sri Saifuddin Abdullah; Senior Minister of International Trade and Industry YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali. Senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministries concerned will also be part of the delegation. The visit will strictly adhere to COVID-19 preventative Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia

The suspension of in-person visits to all hospital wards1 and residential care homes will be extended from 20 March to 3 April 2022 (both dates inclusive).

During this period, hospitals and homes can make assessments on a case-by-case basis to allow in-person visits for exceptional cases.

Pre-visit testing requirements at hospitals and homes

Visitors who are allowed into hospital wards and homes will be required to show a valid negative ART result obtained within the last 24 hours of each visit. All tests are to be self-funded by the visitor. This is a mandatory requirement for all visitors regardless of vaccination status, except for persons who have recovered from COVID-19 and are able to present a valid Pre-Event Test (PET) exemption notice2.

Fully vaccinated or medically ineligible visitors can perform an unsupervised self-administered ART or opt for an ART administered by MOH-approved COVID-19 test providers (including tests performed at Quick Test Centres) to fulfil the pre-visit testing requirement. They will be required to show evidence of a valid ART result, e.g. present a time-stamped photo of the dated ART result and photo ID for verification prior to entry.

Non-fully vaccinated visitors would be required to show results of ART administered or supervised by MOH-approved COVID-19 test providers (including Quick Test Centres). Results from unsupervised self-administered ART will not be accepted for this group of visitors.

In-person visits at hospitals

The following patient groups will continue to be allowed visitors on a case-by case basis, as assessed by the hospitals:

Patients who are in critical condition;

Paediatric patients;

Birthing/post-partum mothers; and

Patients requiring additional care support from caregivers. Examples of caregivers include those providing assistance to inpatients who have mental incapacities or family members who are undergoing caregiver training to better care for their loved ones after hospital discharge.

The above patient groups would be allowed only one pre-designated visitor, with one visit per day. Patients who are in critical condition may be allowed up to five pre-designated visitors, with a maximum of two visitors at the patient’s bedside at any one time.

All visitors approved to enter hospital wards must don face masks with good filtration capability at all times. These include surgical masks and reusable masks that are made of two layers of fabric. Visitors are reminded not to eat or drink in the hospital wards or use the patients’ toilets in the wards. They should also avoid sitting on patients’ beds.

In-situ recovery for some nursing home residents

From 16 February 2022, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) will progressively support nursing homes to care for their fully-vaccinated residents who have been infected but have mild or no symptoms within their premises. These residents will be isolated from the other uninfected residents.

Infected residents who are assessed to be at higher risk, or who show signs of clinical deterioration will continue to be conveyed to an appropriate care facility for recovery.

Source: Government of Singapore