MANILA, Philippines — Israel, the country that hires Filipino caregivers only, is likely to hire more Filipinos as demand for homestay elderly Jewish, instead of hospital care, increases.

The move is also seen to help absorb some of those displaced workers as a result of the crisis in some Middle East countries.

Israeli ambassador to the Philippines Menashe Bar-On told reporters at an Israeli event promoting the country’s tourist attractions that they normally issue 10,000 working visas a year to Filipino caregivers, but this could probably go higher.

“Probably we can absorb some of the displaced Filipinos from the Middle East,” Bar-On said.

He said that Israel hires Filipino caregivers only because there is no communication gap as Filipinos speak English. At least 90 percent of caregivers in Israel are Filipinos, he said.

“The population is aging and more elderly people need caregivers,” he said.

Aside from the aging population, the ambassador said, demand for caregivers is increasing because more Jews now want their old folks to stay in their own homes with their families rather than in hospitals or spend the rest of their lives in homes for the aged.

There are 100,000 Filipinos in Israel of which 40,000 to 50,000 have legal documents and 30,000 are overstaying workers. Israel also receives an average of 15,000 Filipino pilgrims annually.

Among other countries that hire Filipino caregivers, Bar-On said Israel provides the best salary and medical insurance to these foreign workers. Salary for caregivers in Israel ranges from $1,000 to $1,400 a month.

While hiring Filipino workers is one way of strengthening ties between the two countries, the ambassador cited the need to increase two-way trade.

He noted that bilateral trade between Philippines and Israel stood at $250 million of which 75 percent is Israel exports to the Philippines comprising mostly of technology products and agriculture infrastructure.

On the other hand, the Philippines exports pineapples and other agriculture products to Israel.

Bar-On has also pushed for the promotion of the country’s tourist spots to Israel noting that 100,000 Jews travel to the Far East annually including India, Thailand and Australia but very few go to the Philippines.

“You have very nice beaches. We have to work harder and harder because the competition is very big,” he said.

There is also a small Jewish community in the country, totaling 120 families only.

Israel has also an ongoing cooperation with the Philippines to improve the country’s agricultural production.

Bar-On said they have an ongoing agricultural program in Nueva Ecija to share knowledge with farmers to upgrade agricultural production in the Philippines. Some 250 graduating students are being sponsored to go to Israel to work with Israeli farmers.

“We have to open our doors some more so we can sell our products and knowledge,” he said.