The deployment of Filipino Nurses to Germany was the major discussion made during a meeting of Ambassador Maria Cleofe Natividad with the officials of the Federal Employment Agency, International Placement Services (ZAV) last March 8 held at Bonn. Monika Varnhagen, director for the ZAV, and Annette Tigges-Thies, head of Division for Labour Migration and Work Permits were the ones who received theAmbassador.

The formalization of the arrangement for the deployment, then together with the signing would then be witnessed by German Minister for Labor and Social Affairs Ursula von der Leyen during her upcoming visit to the .

Germany’s plan has the so called, “triple win formula,” through agencies like the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fϋr Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) and CIM (Centrum fϋr Internationale Migration und Entwicklung) are held responsible for the successful integration of the nurses into the German labor market and in their social environment. This includes the assurance of adequate linguistic and professional preparation, free of charge for Filipino Nurses prior to entry to Germany.

The visit of high-ranking officials is a mark of Germany’s commitment for the agreement’s successful implementation. This deployment of Filipino Nurses to Germany is to address their country’s current shortages on hospitals.

In return, Ambassador Natividad shows readiness of Philippines to sign the agreement through POEA which is responsible for the implementation. She added, “It is all systems go for the Triple Win Project. When the agreement is signed, then we have a cooperation framework that enables Filipino nurses to work in Germany.”

As emphasized, the agreement serves as protection for Filipino workers’ rights. “Under the agreement, Filipino workers may not be employed under working conditions less favorable than those comparable for German workers,” Ambassador Natividad stated.

Philippines and Germany have already reached 60 years of diplomatic relations. Deployment of Filipino Nurses to Germany is just part of it, particularly the enhanced labor cooperation recently discussed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario and German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle during the latter’s official visit to Manila in February this year.