By Camille A. Aguinaldo
A SOCIAL SECURITY deal between Philippines and Japan will enter into force on Aug. 1 following the two countries’ exchange of diplomatic notes to provide both Filipino and Japanese nationals social security benefits in either country, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Friday.
Under the agreement, employees sent from Japan to the Philippines and vice-versa would be subjected to compulsory coverage under the social security systems of both countries.
The agreement is also expected to reduce the burden imposed on companies and employees, facilitating the people-to-people and economic exchanges between the two countries.
Employees temporarily dispatched for a period of five years or less to the other country will, in principle, be covered only by the pension system of the country where they are dispatched.
The Senate concurred with the ratification of the social security agreement in February 2017.
More than 250,000 Filipino live or work in Japan, according to the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo. Meanwhile, about 11,000 Japanese nationals reside in the Philippines, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Aside from Japan, the Philippines has similar agreements with Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
