Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo has expressed optimism that more of his constituents would be hired as seasonal workers in its sister city, Yeongdong-gun in South Korea, after signing of the latest memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the two cities.
The MOA, which was signed by Remollo and Yeongdong-gun Mayor Jeong Yeong-Chul at the city session hall in Dumaguete, aims to strengthen the bilateral ties of the two cities on employment, trade, tourism, and cultural and youth exchanges.
With the agreement, Yeongdong-gun, which is known to produce quality grapes and is home to the best wineries in South Korea, plans to hire about 150 seasonal workers next year – from the initial 40 in April this year – for three months to five months of work.
“Each worker is expected to earn between P75,000 and P90, 000 per month.”
According to the Dumaguete City public information office, each worker is expected to earn between P75,000 and P90,000 per month.
Besides the additional number of residents to be hired, Remollo said he is also hoping that the incidental expenses of the seasonal workers would be shouldered by the Yeongdong-gun government.
“That is what I put on the table earlier that incidental expenses – such as visa fees and transportation fare, among others – would be covered by them, and they are open to it.”
“That is what I put on the table earlier that incidental expenses – such as visa fees and transportation fare, among others – would be covered by them, and they are open to it,” he told reporters after the signing in mixed English and Cebuano.
The Yeongdong-gun delegation was in Dumaguete City for a week-long tour and consultations from October 26 to 31 to further discuss how to increase the number of residents who could be employed in various farms and industries in South Korea while ensuring their protection and welfare.
In August, Remollo and other city officials visited Yeongdong-gun to check the conditions of the city’s seasonal workers there and meet their employers.
The sisterhood agreement between the two cities was inked in 2009 during the term of the late former city mayor, Agustin Ramon “Tuting” Miciano Perdices, according to his son, Councilor Agustin “Tincho” Perdices.
The younger Perdices thanked the Korean sister city for following through with the agreement signed by his late father for friendly ties that would benefit both cities.
The latest MOA is designed to promote and expand the exchange of projects in areas of administration, the economy, culture, sports, and tourism, as well as promote a better understanding of each other’s cultures and arts by sending delegations to leading festivals and cultural events and exhibitions of artworks and for the employment of seasonal workers and youth of both cities.
