Swissotel Osaka
June 21, 2025

Capping off his Working Visit to Japan, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with the Filipino community in a gathering at the Swissotel Osaka.

In his message, the President encouraged the Filipino-Japanese youth, who play a significant part in the Philippines’ dynamic and enduring ties with Japan, to continue writing new pages in the history of the two countries’ relations.

He firmly believes that they are instrumental in building even stronger connections, deeper friendships and shared values for a mutually stable, secure and prosperous relationship.

Addressing the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the first-generation Filipinos who have settled in Japan, the President urged them to continue fighting for their motherland in these current times to achieve a more prosperous, stable and peaceful nation.

He cited several programs of his Administration to further improve services for OFWs and ensure their welfare, such as the establishment of OFW lounges in Manila’s airports, the pursuance of Bilateral Labor Agreements with countries hosting OFWs, and supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

President Marcos Jr. underscored the sacrifice and strength of the OFWs to provide for their families in the Philippines and emphasized that they are at the heart of government efforts as a way of honoring them. According to him, the Administration will never cease in its efforts to improve their lives because they deserve not only the nation’s gratitude but every Filipino’s full support.

In a recent interview with RTVM, Philippine Ambassador to Japan Mylene Garcia-Albano said there are currently around 340,000 Filipinos working and residing in Japan. The majority of them are already permanent residents who have Japanese spouses and are raising bicultural families.

Filipino nurses and caregivers are very much in demand in Japan to support their healthcare system. There are also many students, trainees, engineers, English teachers and many categories of skilled workers, even farmers due to the aging population of Japan.

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