The opportunities for the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi is predicted to soar in the next five years as the Emirate scrambles to attract investments for its future projects in hotel, construction, energy, tourism, and building of chemical tankers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

Labor Secretary Patricia A. Sto. Tomas said that according to a report from Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), the Emirates would need more foreign workers including OFWs for its future projects to increase the its tourism, energy, and construction sectors including the building of chemical tankers.

The Labor chief also stated that the DOLE is preparing to take advantage of Abu Dhabi’s future projects and ensure that OFWs would benefit from the manpower requirements and be employed for these projects.

She said the POLO in Abu Dhabi stands ready to coordinate with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) in the event that Abu Dhabi employers would require more OFWs.

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Its modern buildings and skyscrapers including all the international luxury hotel chains are the finest in the Middle East. Its oil wealth has been wisely utilized to encourage trade and commerce. It is promoting tourism in a bid to elevate the Emirate to Singaporean status in the region.

Globally, the UAE is one of the top 10 destinations of OFWs. Some 43,970 OFWs were deployed to the UAE in the first semester of 2005, or a growth of almost 25 percent (+8,764) compared to 35,206 in the same period in 2004.

Source: DOLE Information and Publication Service