Filipinos, Swiss ink exchange deal

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines and Swiss governments on Friday signed the technical guidelines that would facilitate an exchange of professional trainees between the two countries.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz. FILE PHOTO

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and Swiss Ambassador Ivo Sieber inked the deal that details the implementation of the Swiss-Philippine Agreement on the Exchange of Professional Trainees.

The signing of the agreement, which dates back to 2003, allows for the exchange of young Filipino and Swiss trainees to gain professional experience in each other’ s country.

“(The) adoption of the technical guidelines is a significant step, which will further clarify the modalities of the Swiss-Philippine Trainee Agreement,” Sieber said in a statement.

Sieber noted that the Swiss-Philippines trainee agreement was an innovative instrument for young professionals from both countries to develop their skills and at the same time broaden their personal and cultural experience.

“The signing of these guidelines is an important milestone towards the full implementation of the trainee agreement,” he said.

More professionals from the Philippines are expected to be hired in Switzerland and vice versa.

With the aim of fully utilizing the potential of the Swiss-Philippine Trainee Agreement, a joint technical working group was created by the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment and the Swiss Federal Office for Migration in December 2010. Niña P. Calleja