Osaka, Japan
MARKETING MISSION TO KAGAWA PREFECTURE, JAPAN
MWO-Osaka Labor Attache Elizabeth Marie R. Estrada travelled to Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture to provide orientation on DMW Rules and MWO-Osaka processes and procedures on 24 September upon the invitation of the Kagawa Prefectural Government. With her were OIC-Welfare Officer Jonel Habon and Local Hire-Interpreter Ronaldo Marcos, Jr. The Head of the Philippines Mission in Osaka, the Hon. Voltaire Mauricio graciously joined the MWO-Osaka team. Audience consisted of a combination of potential OFW employers from the Kagawa Federation of Small Business Associations and representative from member-associations of JEPPCA.
On the sideline of the event, a worksite visit to the Shikoku Branch of the AOI Industries Co., Ltd., employer of eight (8) TITP trainees/OFW in Welding and another eight (8) SSW OFWs on shipbuilding and Ship Machinery was conducted. The group was welcomed and met with the company president himself, Kikkawa Katsuya, who came all the way from Tokyo just to welcome and talk with the team. With him was the Representative Director of the Supervising Organization Setouchi Shipbuilding Metal Processing Coop, Kitahata Yoshio. This branch has a total of seven-eight (78) workers mainly locals. The company employs only Filipino foreign workers and has plans of hiring more. The visit afforded the team oppurtunity to talk with some of the Filipino workers who have been with the company for as long as nine (9) years and who were vocal about their satisfaction with their job and employer.
The team, together with Hon. Consul General, had courtesy call to Kagawa Prefecture Governor Toyohito Ikeda later in the day. The Governor thanked the group for accepting the invitation of the Kagawa Prefectural Government to attend the Business Matching event and to provide the necessary information on the process of proper labor documentation of Filipino workers.
A dinner reception hosted by the Governor for JEPPCA followed in the evening of the same day.
By: ELIZABETH MARIE R. ESTRADA
Labor Attache II and Head, MWO-Osaka
