Calgary, 8 July 2023 – At a meeting held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on 29 June 2023, Philippine Consul General to Calgary Zaldy Patron and Saskatchewan Minister of Advanced Education Gordon Wyant and Minister of Health Paul Merriman discussed the state of education cooperation between the Philippines and Saskatchewan, and the welfare of the Filipino internationally educated nurses (IENs) in the Prairie province.

Consul General Patron and Minister Wyant noted the growing educational linkages and cooperation between the Philippines and Saskatchewan.

 

Since 2018, the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary has had the success of connecting the University of Saskatchewan with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and other Philippine state universities.

 

These linkages eventually resulted in the signing of two agreements involving the University of Saskatchewan – one with a consortium of seven Philippine state universities called Magic 7; the other with UPLB.

 

The PCG has also linked up the University of Regina with CHED.

 

CHED and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education are also currently implementing a MOU on Higher Education Cooperation that was signed in February 2022.

 

Meanwhile, Consul General Patron and Minister Merriman discussed Saskatchewan’s ongoing program to streamline the nursing bridging program for the Filipino IENs who are being recruited from the Philippines.

 

The Saskatchewan Government also has a bursary program for eligible Filipino IENs who are already in Saskatchewan.  The financial grant can be used to pay for the fees related to their licensing and certification application.

 

As early as February 2022, Consul General Patron had sought Minister Merriman’s support for the easier recognition of credentials of the Filipino IENs in Saskatchewan.

 

Consul General Patron and Minister Merriman agreed to undertake joint activities to promote the welfare of the Filipino IENs in Saskatchewan.