Slovenia seeks more PH caregivers in efforts to boost ties with Manila
Slovenia is looking to hire more Filipino caregivers as it faces an aging population and seeks to strengthen ties with Manila after opening last month its embassy here, the European country’s first in Southeast Asia.
Smiljana Knez, Slovenia’s ambassador in Manila, said about 1,000 Filipinos are currently in the country, a relatively small number compared with other European destinations but one expected to rise as labor demand grows.
“We would need them more in the care sector,” Knez told the Inquirer on Wednesday, referring to workers who care for elderly residents in her country northeast of Italy and south of Austria.
Knez visited the Inquirer for a roundtable with its editors and executives as she discussed Slovenia’s priorities in the Philippines.
She said Slovenia and the Philippines signed a labor cooperation agreement in March 2025 that includes caregivers among priority sectors.
Doctors and nurses are not yet part of the current demand, she said, adding Slovenia can still fill those positions domestically or through workers from neighboring countries.
Knez said Ljubljana prefers a government-to-government hiring arrangement rather than relying solely on private recruiters, saying this could better protect workers and reduce the risk of abuse.
Labor cooperation
A joint committee between the two governments is expected to help determine hiring needs and labor arrangements once Slovenia’s new government is formed following recent elections, she said.
Slovenia’s interest in Filipino caregivers is driven by an aging population and growing demand for workers in the care sector, according to Knez.
The Philippines and Slovenia signed last year a memorandum of understanding on labor cooperation, providing a framework for the deployment of Filipino workers to the Central European country.
The agreement was signed by Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon during her official visit in Manila on March 11, 2025, alongside the inauguration of Slovenia’s embassy in the Philippines.
Slovenia’s embassy in Makati is its first diplomatic mission in Southeast Asia and only embassy so far among the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
Knez said Manila was chosen because the Philippines is viewed as a like-minded country that shares Slovenia’s support for multilateralism, international law and cooperation through the United Nations.
She said the Philippines’ role as host of this year’s Asean meetings makes the timing of its embassy’s opening significant.
Climate and energy
Knez said Slovenia is also seeking closer cooperation with the Philippines on climate resilience and energy efficiency, noting that both countries face exposure to climate-related risks.
She said the Philippines has invested heavily in renewable energy but stressed that efficiency in transport, infrastructure, manufacturing and households remains essential.
Slovenia, she said, has long implemented subsidy programs for home upgrades such as insulation, roofing and heating systems that have helped reduce household energy consumption.
Knez also emphasized Slovenia’s focus on building a knowledge-based society, where innovation, research and the transfer of science into industry and public policy drive long-term development.
She said this approach underpins Slovenia’s work on climate and energy, particularly through cooperation between its government, academia and private sector.
Defense tech, business ties
Knez also cited the potential for cooperation with Manila in defense-related technologies, including drones, antidrone systems and energy-efficient modular systems for humanitarian and peacekeeping operations.
She said Slovenia has developed niche capabilities through partnerships between its defense sector, research institutions and private industries.
Only a small number of Slovenian companies currently operate in the Philippines, Knez said, but added that interest is growing.
She cited existing Slovenian-linked investments in semiconductor manufacturing in Batangas and a business-focused internet service provider already operating in the country.
Other companies are exploring opportunities in agriculture machinery, smart-grid technology and high-tech manufacturing, she said.
Knez said Slovenia’s growing engagement in Southeast Asia reflects a broader effort to expand cooperation with countries like the Philippines across labor, climate and technology.
“So we see potentials. We see the Philippines as a like-minded country [and] we can do a lot,” she said.
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