Philippines and Malaysia explore expanded jobs and skills cooperation—Halal and green jobs in focus

PHILIPPINES / MALAYSIA: The Philippines and Malaysia are looking to deepen their labour cooperation, with the Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Malaysian officials discussing expanded collaboration on skills training, green jobs, technology-driven upskilling, and halal food industry certification during a courtesy call on Monday.

According to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino met with Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino to explore ways to align Filipino workforce development with the shifting demands of the regional labour market, showing a growing economic relationship between the two neighbouring countries.

What’s on the table

Discussions covered a range of cooperation areas including skills training, green jobs, technology-driven upskilling, workforce development, and certification for the halal food industry, which is a sector of increasing regional significance given the strong demand for halal-certified products across Southeast Asia and beyond.

Tolentino also raised the matter of Alien Employment Permits (AEPs) for Malaysian nationals working in the Philippines, proposing direct coordination between the Malaysian Embassy and DOLE to streamline the process.

“Faster time, embassy-to-department engagement... So, we do away with other extra bureaucratic layers and at the same time make this faster and seamless,” he said, as quoted by the PNA.

Around 300 Malaysian-owned companies currently operate in the Philippines, with a presence across agribusiness, halal trade, renewable energy, tourism, and logistics. In 2025, DOLE issued an estimated 2,029 AEPs to Malaysian nationals employed primarily as managers and professionals.

A significant labour corridor

Malaysia remains one of the largest destinations for Filipino workers in Southeast Asia. As of May 2025, more than 13,000 land-based overseas Filipino workers were employed in Malaysia, predominantly in construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and domestic service.

Ambassador Castelino expressed appreciation for the Philippines’ continued support, acknowledging DOLE’s role in promoting jobs and opportunities and in ensuring the safety and protection of workers.

Why this matters

The broadening of Philippines-Malaysia labour cooperation comes at a time when both countries are navigating significant shifts in their respective economies, including the green transition, the growth of the digital economy, and increasing demand for halal-certified products in global markets. For Filipino workers, expanded training pathways and better-aligned certification systems could open up higher-value employment opportunities in Malaysia and beyond.

The proposed streamlining of AEP processing is also worth noting as a practical improvement that could ease the movement of skilled workers between the two countries, helping to reduce friction in a labour corridor that already sees significant two-way movement of talent and investment.

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