“The deans aim to make observations and develop a training needs analysis so that when they go back to the Philippines they can offer a training program to Filipino nursing graduates in accordance with the needs of the Kingdom,” Philippine Ambassador Antonio P. Villamor told Arab News.

The meeting on Saturday is the result of an earlier visit to the Kingdom by Labor Secretary Marianito D. Roque, who held talks with Health Minister Abdullah Al-Rabeeah.

Al-Rabeeah asked Al-Qahtani to hold talks with the Filipino delegation led by Labor Undersecretary Carmelita M. Pineda Villamor. He said that with Filipino nurses trained according to the needs of local hospitals and primary health care facilities, the Kingdom might be encouraged to hire more Filipino nurses.

At present, there are some 30,000 Filipino nurses working in different hospitals and primary health care facilities all over Saudi Arabia, according to the Riyadh-based Filipino Nurses Society.

Records show that Filipino nurses and other health workers have been leaving the Philippines to work in other countries like Australia and the United States, but many prefer to come and work in the Kingdom due to the low cost of living.

Labor Attaché Rustico De la Fuente, the coordinator for the delegation's visit, said the college deans would visit local hospitals and primary health care facilities to obtain information on the caliber of nurses and other health workers the Kingdom needs.

He said that based on their observations, they will prepare a training program for nursing graduates intending to come and work in Saudi Arabia.

"Filipino nurses have been known not only for their competence, capacity for hard work and patience, but also their caring attitude towards patients worldwide," said De la Fuente, who is set to leave for a post in Brussels, Belgium, next month.

De la Fuente added that the delegation represents leading nursing colleges and universities in the Philippines, including the University of the Philippines, University of the East - Ramon Magsaysay and Mindanao State University, among others.

Aside from the 10 deans, the delegation also includes Labor Attaché Ellen Custodio, a representative from the Philippine Department of Health, and a clinical coordinator from Silliman University.