Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said the number of Filipinos deployed for overseas employment went up by nine percent in the first 10 months of the year, compared to the same period last year.
Quoting figures from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Sto. Tomas said 804,713 Filipino workers were hired abroad between January and November.
The number is more than the 797,212 workers deployed in various countries last year, he added.
Sto. Tomas said data from the POEA showed an average of 2,630 Filipinos are leaving daily for abroad, most of them land-based workers.
"We are optimistic to reach our one million target before yearend because the current data do not include those who left from other airports aside from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport," she said.
Sto. Tomas said 200 foreign employers are expected to visit the country this week to supervise the hiring of Filipino skilled workers.
"This will be the first time that we are inviting foreign employers to come over, and with this program, they can be assured that they will be getting good workers and hassle-free processing," she said.
Sto. Tomas said among the new labor markets the government is eyeing are the United Kingdom, South Korea, Ireland and China.
Under the program, foreign employers from non-traditional markets would be convinced to hire more Filipino workers, she added. — Mayen Jaymalin