JITCO

Annual Meeting and Seminar for Sending Organizations in the Philippines

On June 23, 2009, JITCO officials visited the Filipino Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and held an annual meeting with the Deputy Director General, Roger Peyuan.

JITCO commenced the meeting with an update on the status and conditions of trainees sent from the Philippines, and provided an explanation regarding the revision of the Industrial Training and Technical Internship Program.  JITCO requested cooperation from its Filipino counterpart in both assistance for the JITCO Support Program for Japanese Language Education Prior to Dispatch (JLEPD) and also networking efforts for returnees, such as providing support for the alumni organization and collecting success stories from returnees.  Additionally, JITCO requested TESDA to focus on the improved monitoring of trainees and interns during their stay in Japan by discussing health issues and accidents resulting in fatalities.

TESDA reported on changes in Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), which were revised in March 2009: 1. the surety bond program had been approved as a measure against runaway incidents; 2. the standard hours for pre-dispatch training conducted by sending organizations, which includes education of Japanese language, culture and ethics, had been extended from 224 hours to 348 hours.

Also, concerned with downsizing and bankruptcy among accepting companies, TESDA asked whether re-training approximately 170 forced returnees would be possible, and whether returnees could be dispatched to Japan as caregivers and nurses under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).

In response, JITCO explained that the Immigration Bureau was responsible for making decisions on the consequences surrounding forced returnees, and that each case would be examined individually.  JITCO then answered that the purpose of the training program was to transfer the skills and knowledge acquired in Japan to trainees' home countries; therefore, re-sending returnees as caregivers and nurses would not support the aim of the program.

On June 24, a seminar for sending organizations was held, and 72 TESDA-certified sending organizations attended.  JITCO provided explanations of the immigration law, revision of the Industrial Training and Technical Internship Program, and labor conditions for technical interns.  Three accepting organizations from Japan also attended the seminar as observers.

Awarding the Certificate of Attendance to Sending Organizations	Representatives from Sending Organizations

In the same afternoon, a forum for returnees and trainee candidates was held.  4 returnees, 60 trainee candidates, and 10 family members of them attended, representing 10 sending organizations.  In the forum, returnees spoke about their experiences in the training program, as well as their careers after returning home: becoming a Japanese language instructor for a sending organization; operating a farm; starting a business (Machine Shop)  and, becoming an instructor at the training center.  The speakers actively exchanged opinions with attendees.

Presentation by a Returnee	A Candidate Asks a Question

Following the forum, a get-together banquet was organized by TESDA and the sending organizations which attended the seminar.  Friendly exchanges were made among TESDA, JITCO, accepting organization and sending organization members.

Returnees and Representatives from Sending Organizations in Traditional Clothes Sing Together