Broadcasted by TV Osaka｜フィリピン人介護のキャリア・サービス
Our Business Project was broadcast by TV Osaka
On September 2, 2010, our company’s new business in caregiver manpower development was introduced on TV Osaka’s News BIZ. Because of broadcast rights, we cannot show you clips of the program but are glad to provide you with a transcript of the commentaries in the special feature.
For more details about this TV program, please inquire at our office closest to your place.
Nursing care is beset with a worsening labor shortage problem. To make headway in this impasse, an Osaka-based logistics company has jumpstarted a business of introducing Filipino manpower to nursing welfare facilities. Today’s special feature is all about this.
At a nursing welfare facility in Ise city, Mie Prefecture in Japan. This place is slightly different from the others. The staff casually interacting with elderly clients are Filipinos. These women received training in a Japanese company in the Philippines and then came to Japan.
[Japanese-Filipino descendant Ms. Kudo]
“The number of Japanese elderly is growing, but there are few young people to take care of them. Since I have a Japanese blood, I thought of helping somehow in this situation. I got an opportunity and then I came to Japan.
The company that provides the training program is a logistics company headquartered in Osaka, which is part of the Konoike Transportation group of companies. Expanding into manpower deployment and job placement, this company had earlier foreseen this labor shortage arising from the low birthrate and aging population trend, and has aimed at developing manpower sources from overseas since five years ago.
Instituted two years ago in a tie-up with a university that has an outstanding track record in training nursing manpower, this program teaches Japanese language and the essential nursing care knowledge using an especially tailored curriculum for Japanese-Filipino descendants. After receiving training for four months, those who pass the interview of the prospective employers are then cleared for departure to Japan. An affiliate of a logistics company venturing into nursing care, employing Filipinos to boot, clearly knows what it’s doing.
[Mr. Akihito Kamata- Career Service Co.Ltd, President]
“Since Filipinos live within big families, they treat their elderly with care. I have observed that this characteristic may make them suitable as nursing care workers in Japan.”
So far, around 50 people have been introduced to facilities in Mie and Kyoto prefectures in our pilot program. Since last month, we officially launched a full-range program from training to deployment . Referral fee is set at 600.000 yen per individual inclusive of training cost. The goal is to supply 120 people per year to nursing care facilities in Japan.
[Mr. Akihito Kamata- Career Service Co.Ltd, President]
“Even nursing homes recognize the positive contribution of Filipino workers to the working atmosphere, and are considering joint projects of mutual benefit with us.”
A social welfare corporation that operates two facilities in Ise-shi, Mie Prefecture, has been accepting graduates of our training program since two years ago. It could be said that this is a preemptive move to avert the spread of the worsening labor shortage in urban areas to the countryside, as far as nursing care is concerned.
[Social Welfare Corporation Ho-ei kai Chief Director Jitsuhiko Shiotani ]
“It would seem difficult to hire future personnel from the present crop of Japanese. So if you want to secure the future for the long haul, we thought the time to start hiring foreigners is now.”
This is Marites Belaflores Kotori, a staff of this facility. Before she came to Japan, she managed a general merchandise business in the Philippines. She took the training course with her daughter Sherika, and they came to Japan August of last year.
[Marites Belaflores Kotori]
「I had a business in the Philippines but I came to Japan for the sake of a stable future.」
Sherika works during the daytime and goes to night high school near her facility in the hope of pursuing higher studies. Though her Japanese ability is still inadequate, her heart is able to clearly communicate with the clients.
A Client: She (Marites) is a quick learner. I put my trust in her.
【小嶋シェリカさん】
I sometimes have difficult time but I am fine now. I would like to live in Japan forever with my family.
There are five Filipinos presently working at the two nursing care facilities in Ise City. Aiming to eventually acquire license as welfare caregivers, most of them say they hope to continue working in Japan.
[Japanese-Filipino descendant Ms. Kudo]
Everybody says that obtaining license as welfare caregiver is difficult for foreigners. I believe that if one studies hard, that difficulty can be overcome.
In these facilities, the Filipino staff receive equal treatment as their Japanese counterparts as far as salary is concerned. In deployment businesses that handle foreigners, the treatment of workers is frequently left to the discretion of the receiving companies after they have been introduced, which has given rise to problems of improper treatment. This business, however, provides post-introduction support services. An expert on Philippine society gives the following opinion.
[Osaka University, Global Collaboration Center, Professor Mamoru Tsuda ]
“What is being sought from the side of the nursing home facilities is setting up the appropriate working conditions and environment, regardless of the nationality of workers. In the same way that working conditions are sought for Japanese workers to improve the turn-over situation at the workplace, a caring working condition for those who provide care service is also sought for Filipino workers.”
Since no letup is expected in the labor shortage problem at nursing home facilities in the foreseeable future, will a new wind blow that will supply new sources of excellent manpower and give Filipinos more opportunities to work in Japan through this business?
