Despite being geographically distant, the Czech Republic sees the Philippines as its next-door neighbor, the Department of Migrant Workers said Sunday.

In a radio interview, DMW officer-in-charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac shared that, from their recent working visit to the said Central European country, there are more Filipinos than before.

“Nung time na POEA [Philippine Overseas Employment Administration] administrator ako about ten years ago, more than, mga daan-daan lang ang OFW sa Czech Republic, itong pagbabalik ko doon syempre ay sinama ako ni Pangulo [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] sa kanyang state visit, ay mga 6,500 na ang mga OFW sa Czech Republic, and mostly in the manufacturing services, construction, and agricultural sectors,” said Cacdac.

(When I was the POEA [Philippine Overseas Employment Administration] administrator about ten years ago, more than, there were only hundreds of OFWs in the Czech Republic. When I returned there, of course, the President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] took me on his state visit, and there are about 6,500 OFWs in the Czech Republic, mostly in the manufacturing services, construction, and agricultural sectors.)

“Talagang nagbibigay-daan, ang tawag ni Pangulo ay people-to-people exchanges, so that means meron din tayong mga campaigns doon at promotion ng tourism at investments para sila naman ay pumunta rin dito,” he added.

(It is really giving way; the President calls it people-to-people exchanges, so that means we also have campaigns there and promotion of tourism and investments so that they also come here.)

The DMW official added that the dialogue that Marcos and Czech Republic President Petr Pavel had was robust, cordial, and warm.

“Sabi nga ni Pangulong Pavel, parang next-door neighbor lang ang Pilipinas. Malayo sila, nasa Europa, pero the way they have been discussing and talking, mutual areas ng interests ni President Marcos ay parang magkapitbahay lang daw tayo,” Cacdac said, adding that the semi-skilled OFW in the Czech Republic are highly regarded.

(President Pavel said that the Philippines is like a next-door neighbor. They are far, in Europe, but the way they have been discussing and talking, the mutual areas of interest of President Marcos, it is like we are just neighbors.)

A joint Communique on Labor Consultations Mechanism between the Philippines and the Czech Republic was signed during the visit, aimed at establishing a system to discuss areas of mutual interest, including proper procedures for employing Filipino citizens in the Central European country.

According to Cacdac, the quota doubled for Filipino workers from 5,000 to 10,000.

“Ang isang noteworthy dito is hindi lamang quota in general for foreign workers, talagang straight na to Filipino workers quota ang pinag-uusapan. 10,000 for the year,” he said.

(A noteworthy thing here is that it is not just quotas in general for foreign workers, it is actually a straight Filipino worker quota that is being discussed: 10,000 for the year.)

“We are number two sa listahan ng mga bilang ng pinakamarming bilang ng foreign workers doon, and number one is Ukraine, so medyo may katotohanan yung sinasabi na para na tayong kapitbahay nila,” he added.

(We are number two on the list of the largest number of foreign workers there, and number one is Ukraine, so there is some truth in what is said that we are like their neighbors.)

Data from the Czech Ministry of Interior shows that as of 31 December 2023, there are 7,026 estimated Filipinos in the Czech Republic.