Philippine Ambassador Maria Zenaida Angara Collinson said President Halonen wanted to visit Philippines after she presented her credentials in Helsinki last August 30. President Arroyo is the first Philippine President to visit Finland and President Halonen is also the first Finnish head of state to visit the Philippines.
Ambassador Collinson also took the opportunity to meet with high-level officials of the government of Finland, the chief executive officers (CEOs) of Finnish business, and the leaders of the Filipino community. She also had the pleasure of meeting with officials of Suntours, the largest tour operator in Finland.
The major accomplishments of Ambassador Collinson also include the meetings with representatives from the private sector include a commitment by METSO OY (Finland’s largest supplier of mining equipment) to host a mining seminar in Helsinki in November 2007. The seminar will focus on the growing investment opportunities in the Philippine mining industry.
Batting for the opening of Finland’s healthcare labor market, Ambassador Collinson secured agreement from the Helsinki Region Chamber of Commerce to conduct promotional and business matching activities concerning the Philippines health and wellness industry. Finland’s rapidly ageing population presents labor opportunities for Filipino nurses and healthcare workers.
Shortly after Ambassador Collinson’s visit to Finland, ESPERI, a Finnish healthcare and social care manpower company, announced its plan to recruit about 100 nurses from the Philippines next year. Further, ESPERI would assist Filipino nurses in completion of their Finnish training, language studies and enjoyment of the same employment privileges due Finnish careers.
In 2009, in a joint venture with OPTEAM, a recruitment firm and AMIEDU, an adult education center and a pilot group of about 20 workers is expected to travel to Finland early next year.
