Filipino professionals in Dubai, UAE were briefed by no less than the Philippines’ Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) Chairperson Atty. Teresita R. Manzala on Saturday, February 1, 2014 at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office, Consulate General of the Philippines.

The briefing was on the ongoing trend in global manpower and skills mobility where common professional and skills qualifications frameworks of countries are established bilaterally or within a regional context.  This environment will thus make way for   mutual recognition of skills and eligibilities among countries of origin and destination which will enable workers and professionals access to wider latitude of options and better opportunities to practice their professions.

Chair Manzala cited the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework which she presently heads, where ASEAN Member states may recognize the education or experience obtained, or licenses or certifications granted to a national of an ASEAN Member State in another ASEAN Member State.

Chairperson Manzala urged the various Filipino professional organizations, mostly engineers, architects and accountants practicing their profession in Dubai to help in the harmonization of the Philippine Qualifications Framework with that of the UAE by unifying and networking with their counterpart organizations in order to be able to input   towards establishing common standards or establishing benchmarks for purposes of licensing or certification of their trainings or professions.

Atty. Manzala likewise suggested that the POLO and the Philippine Consulate General actively participate in this process by validating and authenticating Certificates of Training of OFWs so as to ensure acceptability in destination countries.

In his welcome message, Consul General Frank C. Cimafranca thanked Chairperson Manzala for taking time out from her busy schedule to conduct the briefing in Dubai en route to Manila from an official business meeting in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.