Amid the ongoing health crisis globally, there’s no stopping the Filipinos’ desire to take care of other people of different race, especially the elderly who need utmost attention in this time of the pandemic.
This is evident in recent data from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), showing that Caregiving NC II is still the most in demand training course it offers to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as of June 2021.
The agency reported that about 1,299 finished their training in Caregiving NC II during the period, or 11.56 percent of the total number of OFWs who trained under various Tesda training courses this year. In April 2021, there were 781 OFWs who finished the said course.
According to Tesda Secretary Isidro Lapeña, the high rate of enrollment in their caregiving course can be traced to the rising demand for caregivers in other countries, like Israel, whose aging population is fast rising.
“Other countries admire our good traits as Filipinos and we, in Tesda, maximize the potential of our caregivers by equipping them with enough knowledge and world class competency in caregiving,” he said.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration announced in November last year that Israel needs 500 Filipino caregivers under a government-to-government scheme, with no placement fee required.
Lapeña also added that the agency continues to strengthen its Caregiving NC II training and assessment facilities nationwide, especially now that the Covid-19 restrictions are gradually easing.
“This is part of our efforts in giving our OFWs the adequate service that they need in line with President Duterte’s directive. We will always make sure and live to our rallying cry. Tesda Abot Lahat ang OFWs,” he said.
This program of Tesda was launched in June 2020 to help upskill OFWs who are being affected by the unprecedented health crisis.
Meanwhile, other OFWs made Driving NC II the second in demand Tesda training course with 1,190 graduates or 10.59 percent of OFW graduates recorded as of June 2021.
This is followed by Bread and Pastry NC II with 915 graduates or 8.14 percent of the total 11,240 OFW graduates in the first half of this year. Around 5,558 of them are either returning or repatriated while 5,682 of the enrollees are their dependents.
Most of them are coming from Region 6 (Western Visayas) with a total number of 1,021; followed by Region 7 (Central Visayas) with 595; and Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 470.