Czech-based firm opens new jobs for Pinoys from Yolanda-hit areas

A Czech-based company is opening new jobs for over a dozen Filipino workers from Typhoon Yolanda-hit areas this year, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday, quoting Philippine Ambassador to Prague Victoriano M. Lecaros.

The company, Telepan, is set to hire 55 OFWs in May, the DFA said in a news release.

“When looking for suitable employees, we decided to turn toward the Philippines for their skills and mainly due to last year's disaster, when many families and friends of our employees found themselves without money and roofs over their heads,” said Peter Pesek, Teleplan's human resource manager in its Prague branch.

“By providing them with employment, we want to give them the opportunity to get back on their feet and improve their living conditions,” he added. 

Teleplan Company provides a comprehensive range of services that support the lifecycle care of electronic devices and products following the point of sale.  

The DFA said the Prague branch is one of Teleplan’s 22 centers around the globe. Its 530-strong workforce is composed of 52 percent Czechs, 32 percent Slovaks and 10 percent Filipinos.

“This is a welcome development in Philippine-Czech people to people relations and shows that Filipino workers are world-class,” Lecaros said in the news release.

Pinoy jobseekers

Philippine labor and embassy officials in Prague visited Teleplan Company on February 14 to join Czech Ministry of  Labor officials for a briefing, discussion, and site tour.  The Ministry of Labor was represented by Dr. Ji?í Král,  deputy general director  of the Labor Office in Prague and  Bc. Renata Malichová of the Regional Branch of the Labor Office in Pribram.

According to Malichová, the Labor Office has been working with Teleplan since it established business operations in 2006.  

“We try to find workers from the pool of our jobseekers, but when we do not manage to find enough qualified candidates, we fill the positions from ranks of foreigner workers, especially Filipinos, in the case of Teleplan Company,” Malichová said.

Pierre Gingras, Teleplan's vice president for operation, said they plan to open 110 new jobs for the operator positions starting May 2014 due to higher demand.  

Pesek said they intend to recruit new workers from the ranks of jobseekers from the Labor Office and foreign workers from the Philippines.

As part of the planned recruitment in May, Teleplan decided to get half its new employees from the Philippines.

Survey

Based on the survey conducted by Teleplan among its employees, the main reason why Filipino workers accept employment in the Czech Republic is the opportunity to financially support their families back home. Most workers come with the intention to stay for five years.

“I am very satisfied with my work in Teleplan,” said Marlon Jore, 31, a Teleplan employee. “Czechs are friendly and I made many friends here.”

“Although I miss my family a lot, I have the opportunity every two years to visit them," he addd.

This is the case of the Filipino youth 31-years old Marlon Jore, one of the 55 Filipino workers of Teleplan. who works for the company for the past five years.

Pesek and other Teleplan officials were in Manila from February 21 to 25 February to meet with Philippine and Czech Embassy officials to finalize plans in recruiting 55 Filipino workers.

Teleplan employees comprise the members of the Sunday English-mass choir in the Infant of Jesus of Prague Church in Mala Strana and actively participates in Filipino community events organized by the Philippine Embassy in Prague. — KBK, GMA News