PRAGUE — President Ferdinand Marcos  on Thursday said that both the Czech Republic and the Philippines expressed a mutual desire to bolster people-to-people relations through various avenues.

During the joint press conference with Czech Republic President Petr Pavel here, Marcos said that the Philippines is ready to cooperate with the Czech Republic to guarantee the rights and welfare of overseas Filipinos.

According to Marcos, the Czech Republic will now allow more than 10,000 Filipino workers annually, starting in May 2024. This marks a significant increase from the previous quota of 5,500 per year.

Acknowledging the importance of protecting the rights and well-being of overseas Filipino workers, Marcos assured the Czech Republic of the Philippines’ commitment to cooperation in this regard.

“The Philippines stands ready to cooperate with the Czech Republic in ensuring the protection of the rights and well-being of overseas Filipinos,” he affirmed.

Marcos highlighted the potential for increased tourist arrivals and student exchanges between the two countries to foster greater understanding and collaboration.

“We agreed to further strengthen people-to-people relations between our countries, both through tourist arrivals and student exchanges,” remarked President Marcos.

Moreover, Marcos conveyed the interest of Philippine universities in forging partnerships with their counterparts in the Czech Republic, signaling a desire for academic collaboration and knowledge exchange between the two nations.

“I conveyed the interest of Philippine universities to forge partnerships with Czech universities,” Marcos said, underscoring the potential benefits of academic cooperation in advancing research, innovation and educational excellence.

The decision to increase the quota for Filipino workers reflects the Czech Republic’s recognition of the valuable contributions made by OFWs to the economy while affirming both nations’ commitment to fostering closer ties across various domains.

In a separate interview on Thursday, Philippine Ambassador to the Czech Republic Eduardo Martin Meñez said Marcos’ official visit would underscore the rising need for Filipino laborers in Central and Eastern Europe.

“The President is also significant for this point because the Czech Republic is sort of, like, a symbol or representative of the demand for Filipino workers in Central and Eastern Europe,’’ he said.

“So it is a very opportune time for the President to come and visit this country. And also to make sure that the conditions for our workers are good,” he added.

Meñez also pointed out that one of the deliverables for Marcos’ visit is a labor consultation mechanism to “ensure that we are able to study the data, look at the trends, and work with the Czech government to address future problems or emerging problems.”