CEBU, Philippines — Job opportunities are waiting for Filipinos in Thailand following a high-level bilateral meeting between Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and Thailand Ministry of Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn last week.
Frasco reported that Thailand has offered jobs for the Filipinos in the accommodation sector as they are currently facing a shortage in their workforce.
According to Frasco, giving job opportunities for the Filipinos in the tourism sector is one of the main agreements she forged with her Thai counterpart during their meeting last Thursday.
Frasco said the Thai tourism official noted that with the lifting of travel restrictions and resumption of tourism activities, the Thai tourism industry is facing a shortage in their workforce with 60 percent of vacancies from different hotel staff up to middle manager positions.
Professionals from the Philippines are preferred in Thailand because of their impressive command of the English language- a requirement in accommodating Thailand’s increasing foreign tourists and guests.
The Cebuana tourism chief said she already had some discussions with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and has agreed to conduct a joint job fair.
“We note with serious consideration the shortage in the tourism workforce coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am presently in discussions with the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) wherein we have agreed to conduct joint job fairs all over the Philippines, specifically catered to the tourism industry for the purpose of ensuring that those that left the industry or may have been laid off from the industry during the time of pandemic would once again have the opportunity to be employed,” Frasco remarked during the meeting.
The upcoming job fair is to be dubbed “Trabaho Turismo Asenso!” together with partner local government units (LGUs) and incoming Thai counterparts from September 22 to 24.
Frasco shared that she invited Thailand to the job fair series to extend more opportunities to the Filipinos wanting to work in the Thailand hotel and restaurant industry which the Thai Minister gladly accepted.
Meanwhile, Frasco has disclosed that the DOT through its regional offices is also undertaking surveys of the number of available job vacancies, positions, and other job posting information in each region of the country for additional local work opportunities.
The DOT-accredited enterprises are expected to join the upcoming career expo including accommodation establishments, travel and tour services, meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) facilities and organizers, tourist transport operators, health and wellness services, restaurant/food service, and other tourism-related establishments. — FPL (FREEMAN)