AFTER teachers, the Government of China may soon open its doors to Filipino health workers.

Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he is set to meet the Chinese Minister of Labor next week to discuss the possible deployment of medical workers, like caregivers and nurses.

“I’ll go to China for a possible meeting with the Minister of Labor to discuss possible labor relations,” said Bello in an interview.

He said his China trip will be from April 24 to 27.

“What we will have is just exploratory talks,” said Bello.

Last year, the Philippines and China signed a bilateral agreement for the former’s deployment of English teachers to the latter.

The signing came after President Rodrigo Duterte pushed for making China an alternative labor market for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

The increasing labor relations between China and the Philippines, Bello noted, will coincidentally come with the establishment of three Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (Polos) there.

“We are putting up one in Beijing, one in Shanghai, and one in Shenzhen,” he said.

Bello said they are looking to make the three Polos operational before June. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)