CEBU CITY – The global financial crisis notwithstanding, the Region 7 office of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) posted a higher deployment rate this year compared to last year which recorded a 2.6 increase in its deployment rate.

POEA7 Regional Director Evelia Durato said from January to November this year, the agency recorded a 2.6 percent increase, or 29,723, in terms of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) compared to last year’s 28,982 who took off from the Mactan Cebu International Airport for various destination points of work overseas.

Durato said the agency was also able to process 52,107 employment contracts this year compared to last year’s 49,330 contacts, posting an increase of 5.7 percent.

She added that various job fairs this year conducted by job placement agencies reached a total of 3,000 in the region, which is a 64 percent increase over last year’s 1,256 fairs.

Durato said Middle East countries still topped the demand for OFWs, and while the agency is closely monitoring the recession which hit Dubai, it is hoping it will not directly and/or substantially affect the Philippine OFW situation.

She also clarified issues on job mismatching, particularly where the particularity of employers with job specifications are concerned, with most in-demand jobs abroad are skilled workers, including construction workers and welders, and medical professionals such as nurses, caregivers, and domestic helpers.

Also, she said that the continuing demand for Filipino workers abroad is seen as a result of hiring agreements forged between the Philippines and other countries hiring foreign labor.

Among the countries that have made commitments to hire more Filipino professionals and skilled workers are Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Japan.