AN ENTRANCE ceremony was held on Friday, January 11, to welcome the 19 nurses and midwives who will study the Japanese Language for one year and six months at Houei International Japanese Language Academy (HIJLA) in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki, Japan.

After completion of the language studies, they will be enrolled in a two-year caregiving vocational course that will eventually lead them to work full-time in Japan.

During the ceremony, Yutaka Shimizu, chairman of Houei Group, said he is very thankful with the partnership with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.

Shimizu envisioned of having 200 Negrenses working in Miyakonojo in the field of healthcare, agriculture and skilled works, adding that he will do his best to extend more help to the people of Negros and the Philippines since the group was the pioneer for this kind of program.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said that the Provincial Government will continue to help Negrenses who are interested to work in Japan in the future so that they will be able to help their families in the Philippines.

Before leaving for Japan on Tuesday, January 8, the scholars underwent a five-month intensive Japanese Language and Culture Training Course under the “Study Now, Pay Later” program of the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division at the Oisca-Bago Training Center.

Shimizu is scheduled to visit the Japan Embassy in the Philippines together with a senator from Japan to talk more about better opportunities and partnership.

Meanwhile, Karen Dinsay, head of the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division (NOSPD), said that the province is currently looking for unemployed nurses and midwives who are willing to apply for the next batch of the Japanese Language and Culture Training Course. (PR)