CEBU, Philippines, Dec 6, 2006 (AFP) - Southeast Asian states will sign an agreement easing the requirements for nurses to practice within the region, an official said Wednesday. Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to sign the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on nursing services during a summit here next week, said senior Philippine diplomat Luis Cruz. He said the agreement will "allow nurses within ASEAN countries to move freely within the ASEAN member countries and practice their profession." Cruz said one of the main beneficiaries will be the Philippines, where there is an exodus of nurses to work in hospitals around the world, including in the United States, Britain, Singapore and the Middle East. Some business leaders say the agreement can boost the region's healthcare industry by raising the standards of training in the nursing profession and attracting foreign investment into the sector. Cruz said ASEAN is also pursuing negotiations for similar agreements in the architectural, accountancy, surveying, medical practitioners, tourism and information technology professions. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Meanwhile, Cruz said ASEAN leaders will also issue a declaration of their political commitment to protect the rights of migrant workers, like domestic helpers. The declaration will serve as a "code of conduct" on how countries should treat these workers, especially non-professionals, but also asks that states sending out workers should have them fully documented. The Philippines will again be a beneficiary, because of the hundreds of thousands of Filipino maids working overseas, a substantial number of them suffering from abuse at the hands of their employers. mba/kw/skj