THE Ukrainian government is tapping the help of Filipino professionals to rebuild its war-ravaged cities.
Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) Denys Mykhailiuk of the Ukraine Embassy in Malaysia, which holds jurisdiction over the Philippines, said Kiev would raise a new possible labor cooperation with local government officials.
“[W]e will begin talks about the Filipino labor to come, because this reconstruction effort will need a significant increase in labor,” Mykhailiuk said in a press conference during his four-day trip to Manila.
“Hardworking Filipinos will be very welcome there to benefit our growth, [as with] Filipino investors…,” he said. “I see enormous room to improve [ties].”
The CDA said discussions on labor had been initiated before the 2022 Russian aggression against Ukraine, but no agreement has been reached yet.
His country, the envoy shared, continued its offense against Russian troops as it sought to speed-up victory and liberate more occupied territories: “[N]ow we have stabilized the battle line, and only 15 percent of the territories under occupation are directly impacted by the active battle….”
Once Kiev liberates more land, the envoy hopes Filipino businesses, especially those in the construction sector, would also invest and turn to Ukraine, as he confirmed: “[W]e are here…relatively safe for business now.”
The Ukrainian envoy revealed that his country is also seeking to increase trade with the Philippines, describing the country as a “priority nation” in Asean: “Unfortunately, since the war started, we…had a drop of 94 percent in bilateral trade. We want to remedy [this].”
He said Kiev—a major exporter of wheat—is ready to help Manila build a “grain bank” and export more crops through the grain corridor, which allows Ukraine to safely ship commercial food from its key ports in the Black Sea.
“We have proposed to the government of the Philippines, so the ball is on your side,” Mykhailiuk explained. “We can deliver immediately. Our silos are full of grain.”
Image credits: PNA/Joyca Rocamora