GENEVA, Switzerland — Senator Raffy Tulfo met with a Japanese delegation led by Hon. Fujii Kazuhiro during the recently concluded 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Switzerland.

In their bilateral meeting, Tulfo expressed appreciation for what he described as the “strong and friendly relationship between the governments of Japan and the Philippines.”

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, Tulfo discussed the situation of 50,706 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Japan and thanked Kazuhiro for their good treatment.

Kazuhiro, in response, expressed gratitude to Tulfo for the contributions of Filipino workers to Japan, noting that the Philippines’ younger population complements Japan’s aging demographic.

Tulfo recommended that Japan open more employment opportunities for Filipino nurses to help care for Japan’s elderly population. He said he would coordinate with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to facilitate the hiring process.

Kazuhiro agreed, saying the Japanese government is ready to accept Filipino nurses and support them in acquiring advanced skills in patient care.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, Tulfo also highlighted the importance of major infrastructure projects in the Philippines supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), including the North-South Commuter Railway and the Metro Manila Subway Project.

Tulfo praised Japan’s public mass transit system, particularly its trains, while Kazuhiro mentioned that Japan is currently facing manpower shortages in the sector. Tulfo suggested that Filipino transport workers could be recruited to help address the shortage, adding that he would coordinate the proposal with the DMW.

Both sides agreed to continue collaborating on future initiatives in public transportation that would benefit both countries.