16 December 2005 - Philippine Consul General in Sydney Maria Theresa Lazaro reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that mining executives of INCO-GORO Nickel Company of New Caledonia (INCO) have assured that the work rights of around 3,000 Filipino workers to be employed in a large-scale mining project in Southern New Caledonia will be protected and observed, in accordance with international and local labor laws.

Consul General Lazaro said the INCO executives gave this commitment during a media conference held in Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia on 13 December 2005.  New Caledonian Government officials and executives from AG&P and EEI Philippines were present at the briefing participated in by the New Caledonian and international press.

The Consul General informed the Department that the Filipino workers are expected to arrive in batches to around 3,000 by mid-2006. Two top Philippine engineering companies, AG&P Philippines and EEI Philippines, will be facilitating the workers' deployment.

The Filipinos will be heavily involved in the construction of a nickel and cobalt mining processing plant in Southern New Caledonia. The engineering project is expected to be finished by the Filipino workers by the end of 2007.

Consul General Lazaro joined INCO executives in a tour of the work site and the facilities for the Filipino workers, consisting of a 2,500 bedroom dormitory, medical facility, community rooms and a mess hall.

In discussions with the INCO executives, Consul General Lazaro said: “The Philippines looks forward to the successful implementation of this project. We are proud to contribute our share in the future development of New Caledonia. We hope that this paves the way for future areas of cooperation that would be ultimately beneficial to all".

INCO is a Canadian majority-owned company in partnership with Sumitomo Japan and is considered to be the biggest nickel mining company in the world. New Caledonia is an overseas autonomous archipelagic territory under France located in the South Pacific. It is located 6,452 kms. southeast of Manila and 1,991 kms. northeast of Sydney. It has one of the largest-known nickel resources in the world, supplying 25% of the world's nickel market. END