Some 125 Filipino health workers will leave for Japan next month after being hired in various institutions under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said Thursday.

The DoLE, through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), said that the second batch of JPEPA passers (estimated 50 nurse-candidates and 75 caregiver-candidates) has already been matched with hospitals and facilities there and are tentatively due to depart on May 9.

“Their employment contracts were already sent. They are currently undergoing medical examination and completing their visa requirements for filing,’’ said Fely Romero, director II of POEA’s government placement branch.

Romero said the second batch of healthcare workers will initially undergo onsite language and culture training in Japan at a designated training facility of the government before starting their on-the-job-training with the respective hospital or care facilities.

Lina de Luna of the POEA client services division said the Japan International Corporation of Welfare Services (JICWELS), the counter organization of POEA, is yet to release the number of Japanese institutions that have hired the health workers.

In May 2009, the POEA deployed the first batch of 273 health workers (93 candidate-nurses and 180 candidate-caregivers) to Japan.