♪ ♪ >> the philippines has seen nearly 7% annual economic growth since 2010. that growth is supported by ofws, or overseas filipino workers. in 2015 these citizens sent back

over 25 billion u.s. dollars. the philippine overseas employment administration was set up in 1982 to promote and protect the interests of filipinos working overseas. about one in ten filipinos, or over 10 million people, work abroad. the department checks documents, license of agencies and promotes filipinos in labor markets overseas. >> i work as a nanny and house made. >> united states. i'm a nurse on board cruise ships. it pays more and the benefits are more. so it's for the family. >> care giving has become a popular career choice. national qualifications are recognized in many other

countries which pay a higher wage than at home. many filipinos are used to big families and caring for older relatives. their bright, cheerful attitude and dedicated work ethic have made them popular employees in other countries. work abroad and earn a good income. there are 150 accredited caregiver schools in the country, and they're all packed with young students. >> always i'm thinking to save money for the future of my son only. ♪ >> meet the caregivers working hard for their families and for a brighter future. ♪ >> quezon is both the largest

city both by land area and metro in manila. it is home to the popular st. augustine school of nursing. it boasts a 100% pass rate for the national care giving exam and has graduates in many countries. today it has six branches across the country. >> one, two and three. be sure -- >> at 500 u.s. dollars, its fees are about 20% higher than other schools, but it's 80 places are always filled. students spend six months studying 11 subjects that cover care giving techniques and nutrition-based cooking. then they spend two months with onsite training before taking the national exam. this teacher is a former nurse who worked in taiwan. she explains that technical knowledge alone is not enough. students must also prepare themselves for the new attitudes and customs of different

countries. >> a caregiver should be very imaginative. even if you're not in the skill club, when i put a situation, your mind should be thinking already. you should imagine a scenario. for example, from -- >> it is not unusual for college graduates to take this course. others have transferred from different professions. >> i worked in a hotel before. >> sales associate. >> a technician. i'm planning to change my career for a good salary. >> the starting monthly salary for college graduates in the philippines is about $200 u.s. dollars. working as a caregiver in the west will earn them ten times that amount. >> which country do you want to go? >> canada. >> canada. >> canada. >> canada. >> canada.

canada and japan. >> canada and japan. >> canada offers more than a high salary. if you work for two years as a caregiver, you can qualify for a permanent residency. it is a popular choice. >> one, two and three. >> abigail dela cruz wants to work in canada. ♪ >> abegail studied psychology at a four-year university. she then worked in singapore as a call center trainer. she earned more than five times what friends her age did at home. but she returned to the philippines a months ago to become a licensed caregiver. ♪ >> as an only child, she

currently lives with her parents. why is abegail so determined to work as a caregiver in canada? because her mother maria had a stroke a year ago and still needs rehabilitation. >> my mom had hypertension, so it is actually a risk for her to stay in a very hot country. if i got the permanent residency in canada, i will be able to take my mom with me in canada, then i can actually take care of her. >> i'll do as my daughter suggests. she's becoming a caregiver to help me. >> abegail is determined to pass her exam in five months time and secure a post in canada. ♪ >> trace college is about 60 kilometers south of central

manila. it has a dedicated care giving school. in may 2017 it began a course that specialized in working in japan. it attracted 50 students from across the country. >> the course lasts for seven months. several students gave up their jobs and travelled here to join the course. maria tabow was a nurse which requires more specialization than giving a caregiver, but she wants to work as a caregiver in japan. >> one, two, three, lift. >> being nurse here in

philippines in an institution we have many patients, but salary is not good. >> ever francisco work at a restaurant in saudi arabia. >> actually, the middle east is in a crisis situation now, so i decided to come back to my country. i saw on the internet that japan had a big, maybe a,000 opportunities, especially caregiver. >> the salary of a caregiver in japan is two-thirds that of one in canada, but it is among the highest in asia. it is close to the philippines and is a safe, peaceful country. because it has the oldest population in the world, the demand for filipino caregivers is expected to grow. a key aspect of the course is its focus on learning the

japanese language. english is not widely spoken in japan. they have a four-hour lesson each day. the teacher is japanese. he used to work in a japanese nursing home. they practice phrases and vocabulary they'll need when working with patients. it is vital that they can communicate well when a patient is in trouble. good care depends on being able to talk to patients. the class focuses on interactive conversation. lunch time. most students eat at the small food stalls in front of the

college. the total focus on studying means students have no time for even a part-time job. they can only afford 20 u.s. cents per meal. most students will split the cost of a meal and share. the conversation always comes back to what they're learning.

>> all of the students live in a dorm on campus. the women's living quarters are 150 square meters and situated above the gym. 46 women live here. they study and go over their care giving and japanese lessons right until lights go out at 12:30 at night. their only personal space is around the bed.

so students create makeshift storage for clothes and toiletries. >> at first it is just very difficult to sleep, but we use -- after a few months i usually sleep here already. >> they must live like this for the next five months. most of them come to this school to build futures for their parents, spouses or their children. ♪ >> joanna pajes is 28 years old. she must live in the dorm apart from her only son. >> when he is baby, and then now three years old. i need to -- i need to sacrifice

for him because i am the only -- i'm a single mom, that's why. >> after graduating from a two-year college, jhoanna work at a restaurant. she became a mother at 25, but her relationship broke down and she's now a single mother. at the moment her son lives with jhoanna's mother and younger brother. she goes home every weekend to see him. it renews her dedication to studying. ♪ >> the demand for caregivers is rising not only in the west but also in asia as well. ♪ >> this company sends housekeepers to hong kong and singapore but has seen a recent rise in requests for caregivers.

>> for a while. >> the agency works together with this housekeeper training center. housekeepers sent abroad spend at least two weeks learning basic cleaning and cooking techniques. they must pass a national exam. the agency has now asked that basic care giving is added to the training curriculum. >> if your patient has in bed-ridden, you must use diapers. if not, flex the legs and insert the bedpan. >> this training means students can add basic care giving to their housekeeper certificate. the agency can charge a higher fee and the workers will earn more money.

>> like singapore, once they are applying as a live-in caregiver, their salary is higher than working as a domestic helpers. it is around 150 singapore dollars. i am trying to recruit more caregivers and reserve for other countries that need caregivers. >> sending workers abroad is a national strategy for the philippine government. it expects aging societies overseas to drive a rise in demand. >> the remit answer they send back to the philippines keeps our economy afloat. that's why we call our overseas philippine workforce the new here owes.

filipina ofw caregivers are well-trained, and so we are confident that other countries who are deploying or who will recruit caregivers in the philippines are much excited to -- some hire filipina nurses. >> trace college's care giving school. it is saturday, the day single mother jhoanna has been looking forward to. when class ends at 1:30, she heads home at once to see her son. >> bye-bye. >> bye-bye. >> her hometown is about 80 kilometers from the school. she changes buses three times and spends over five hours traveling.

jhoanna arrives home after 7:30 in the evening. it is an hour later than usual because of traffic. her son juan is asleep on the knee of her brother's friend. >> jhoanna picks up juan.

>> jhoanna wants to spend as much time with her son as possible. she has to be back to the dorm tomorrow evening, which is sunday. that means leaving the house by 5:00 p.m. >> at 10:00 p.m. jhoanna's mother senaida comes back from her job at a diner. help pays the living costs for jhoanna and juan. senaida raised jhoanna as a single mother herself. they remember that their life

was much harder before. >> squatters were common in the poor neighborhoods where necessary lived then. their homes were demolished several times. >> for us, my plan is for -- i know to secure his house because we are renting here. i experienced before they demolished our house, so we sleep without a roof. and with my mother crying from that situation, that's why. first is a house for him so that

he will not experience what i experienced. >> without him i think i will not think of the future. yes, because of him i'm thinking i know more of the future. >> she wants to earn enough in japan to buy a home for her family. that's jhoanna's dream. ♪ >> st. augustine school of nursing in queson. they're holding a party to mark the end of their nutrition classes. students are hosting a party for staff with homemade food and dancing.

abegail, who wants to go to canada for the sake of her mother, is also present. >> both students and teachers dance, celebrating birthdays and anniversaries are an important part of providing care. being able to enjoy yourself can help your patients, too. ♪ >> these parties are held at the end of every course. ♪ >> most caregivers, they can appreciate that you're dancing,

you're singing. that's part of releasing the depression. caregivers, we have to spark -- most of the time we are in their sight. aside from caring, aside from that part, you also have elders who are also worthy of still living. >> abegail hopes to get to canada in the next six months. ♪ >> this is the philippine retirement authority. they provide permanent residency and recommend housing for wealthy foreign retirees. if caregivers currently working abroad move back to the philippines, they could be a useful resource. the department hopes to employ them in luxury condos with care giving services. >> we are trying to encourage foreigners from all over the world to consider the philippines as a second home.

worldwide, our caregivers are being admired because of their expertise in giving care. if they will be coming back to the philippines, we will gladly hire them to be able to assist us because this project is for the good of the philippines, for the good of the country. and as much as possible, we would also want to -- that the philippines can really be considered as a number one retirement destination in the near future. ♪ >> private companies are also providing services to the wealthy. this up scale neighborhood is located in the busy capital of manila. beyond the gate, elegant homes line the streets. it is like a different world.

one corner of the estate is taken up by a group home for returning nationals and foreign citizens. the home employs caregivers who worked abroad and returned to the philippines at the end of their contract. there are nine residents, four of them from other countries. this man used to work in the united states but became nostalgic for his home country after retiring. >> i am a lawyer. i practiced law. they prepared the food. they do some cleaning. more cleaning. more work than me. >> the homeless caters for

residents with severe dementia. such facilities are becoming popular across the country. trace college's care giving school is holding cpr training with a dummy. caregivers will often face life-or-death situations. >> 13, 14, 15, 16 -- >> cpr is a vital skill they must acquire. >> 7, 8, 9, 1. breathe through the nose. you do that demonstration, and then -- >> it is jhoanna's turn. >> if there are anyorrections, i willust educate. >> i'm done. a trained r provider. don't worry, ma'am, sir, i am here to help the victim. hey, hey, are you okay? hey, hey, are you okay? the victim is unconscious.

activate medical assistance. arrange -- >> she can't remember the phrase, so classmates help her out. >> when you are assessing the victim, check the airway. still the head of the victim. >> she keeps stumbling. >> chin up. >> check for the mouth. there's no >> one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four. >> stop. >> she gets a minor reprimand from her teacher. >> one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand one. so it will not be like that.

♪ >> in five months jhoanna will sit her care giving examine and her japanese tests. if she passes and goes to japan, it will mean a long time away from her beloved juan. >> always i'm thinking to save money for the future of my son, and only that. some day -- we will be together. ♪ >> these young caregivers dedicate themselves to studying to escape poverty and to help their families. ♪ >> visions of a bright future inspire their hard work.

steves: the dramatic rock of cashel is one of ireland's most evocative sites. this was the seat of ancient irish kings for seven centuries. st. patrick baptized king aengus here in about 450 a.d. in around 1100, an irish king gave cashel to the church, and it grew to become the ecclesiastical capital of all ireland. 800 years ago, this monastic community was just a chapel and a round tower standing high on this bluff. it looked out then, as it does today,

over the plain of tipperary, called the golden vale because its rich soil makes it ireland's best farmland. on this historic rock, you stroll among these ruins in the footsteps of st. patrick, and wandering through my favorite celtic cross graveyard, i feel the soul of ireland.

itsunori itsunori. hello, a very warm welcome to nhk "newsline." it's 9:00 a.m. in tokyo, i'm catheri catherine kobayashi. it's a big day in japanese politics. after weeks of scandal and flagging poll numbers, the prime minister is trying to put a fresh face on his administration. shinzo abe will announce a new line-up for his cabinet thursday afternoon. and nhk has already learned who made the cut. abe will bring back a familiar face to the defense ministry's post. veteran itsunori onodera held the position for almost two years in the cabinet abe put together when he returned to power in 2012. the new name was highly anticipated because the defense ministry has been hit by a major coveup