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Saturday, September 06, 2008

RP professionals can practice in ASEAN now

Licensed Filipino accountants, architects, surveyors, engineers, nurses, dentists and doctors may work in other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), officials said Tuesday.

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On the news today from PDI:

Southeast Asian economic ministers have signed agreements allowing these professionals to work in each other’s countries.

ASEAN ministers on Monday signed the mutual recognition arrangements, a statement from the Singapore hosts said.

Under the pacts, ASEAN states will mutually recognize qualifications and standards covering these professionals so they can practice in any ASEAN country.

Facilitate movement

The accords will also ensure that professional standards in an ASEAN state are maintained, monitored and regulated.

The measures to facilitate movement of professionals within the region are part of ASEAN’s efforts toward economic integration, which include easing the flow of goods and services as well as investments.

ASEAN groups 10 countries with different levels of economic development, ranging from impoverished Laos to high-tech Singapore and the world’s most populous Muslim country Indonesia.

Its other members are military-ruled Burma (Myanmar), oil-rich Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The group aims to achieve a single market and manufacturing base by 2015 to raise ASEAN’s profile in the face of competition from China and India.

Source: AFP and Margaux C. Ortiz