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Updated Saturday, February 26, 2011 11:47 pm TWN, The China Post news staff and CNA |
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Filipino workers could lose NT$10 billion a year if Taiwan implements working visa freeze“As long as the MOFA is certain on adopting more stringent measures against the Philippines, the council will be ready for related measures to freeze Filipino laborers,” CLA Minister Wang Ju hsuan said yesterday. Wang admitted that the move would negatively impact over 70,000 Filipino workers currently employed in Taiwan. With an average monthly income of NT$17,880 each, the workers get paid an estimated NT$20 billion per year, NT$10 billion minus living expenses. Despite the blow, Wang said the council had obtained a consensus from the industrial sector and received its support. “We can take action at any time,” she added. Roughly 77,000 Filipinos are working in Taiwan, accounting for 20 percent of the total number of foreign workers in the country. Most of them are employed in the local manufacturing sector. If an across-the-board freeze on Filipino workers gets implemented, the CLA minister estimates that “it will take about three years for current Filipino workers to leave Taiwan,” except for a few left in the country for humanitarian reasons. According to the minister, these reasons could include Taiwanese who are physically or mentally disabled and are wholly dependent on their Filipino caretakers. Wang made the remarks against a background of frayed relations with the Philippines after 14 Taiwanese fraud suspects were deported from the Philippines to China on Feb. 2. A Philippine emissary visited Taiwan on Monday over the deportation row, but left the following day without making an apology, as requested by Taiwan. The envoy only promised a probe into the incident and discipline for any Filipino officials found to have acted out of line. On Wednesday, Philippine President Benigno Aquino still expressed optimism that the rift could be resolved without a formal apology. But he also maintained that Filipino workers can work in other countries or stay in their own country. Wang said that MOFA is watching the application of Filipino workers, and that if it implements the freeze, the move will definitely make the Philippines “feel the pain.” She added that the Filipino emissary visited earlier this week because of this. Foreign Affairs Minister Timothy C. T. Yang reiterated Friday that he will review the results of the Philippine probe before deciding on his ministry's next move. Comments February 26, 2011 ekraft46@ Reply aquino has a good idea for a change: the workers could stay in their own country. Heard Jollibee was hiring. February 26, 2011 jefflin70@ Well, we hated china for being a bully. It’s just sad that we are also becoming one. February 26, 2011 chang 29@ To say the least, if Taiwan implements working visa freeze, it could make Philippine losses of NT dollar 10 billion in wages. As we know, nowadays in Philippine one in four Filipinos survive on US dollar 1 a day or less. It goes without saying that the Filipinos are really in the sorry of plight. Their President Benisigo Aquino is a "Gago" President and "walang-hiya". February 26, 2011 mak.us1900@ "The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) may soon implement a freeze on Filipino workers if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) approves the policy."I think we are pushing the Philippines very hard. After the freeze on Filipino workers if they break the diplomatic relation with us. Is our government prepared for this? I hope that we can solve this problem rationally. February 27, 2011 someone@ I think it's not right to take revenge on innocent workers against a few fraudsters. February 27, 2011 mk614@ Philippine is acting as if they are a big and powerful country like USA and China. But they are nothing but a country of servants and slaves. The country cannot survive without oversea workers.The beggars shouldn't act in such a stupid manner. Everyone has to remember there is only one China and also there is One Taiwan. The fact is Taiwan is not a part of China. If Taiwan sends all those 70,000 workers back to Philippines, their country will collapse. President Aquino says his government will assist the OFW if they lose the jobs in Taiwan, but that is a bunch of bull. They cannot even help those helpless OFW in Libya right now. I really feel sorry for those OFW caught up in this stupid government actions. How are they going to make a living in Philippines? Resort to Philippine cottage industry of kidnapping the Chinese kids? February 27, 2011 allen.parungao@ I hope it will be okay because the affected here are the ofw. We are very sorry about this incident... February 28, 2011 jensenqc@ Why not use this opportunity to weed out those Filipino workers using various names to enter Taiwan or using fake marriages to make the "freeze" move look rational and justifiable? March 1, 2011 stanley_flp632@ This is what happens when you leave the trust and care of a nation to people who don’t have the knowledge to handle such situations. You send a former senator to talk to a President in another country to resolve the problem, talk about plain stupidity. You talk out loud not to apologize and then when the condition got worst, then you issue an apology, what the hell are you thinking??? The damage is done, you should have apologized in the first place. All of us here OFWs in Taiwan is furious of what you have done!!! March 1, 2011 joesun369@ The Filipino are friendly and hardworking people, but they elected a wrong guy as their president. March 2, 2011 jesiu007@ jensenqc@ wrote: That would be more of a job in Phil's side rather than in Taiwan's side...Why not use this opportunity to weed out those Filipino workers using various names to enter Taiwan or using fake marriages to make the "freeze" move look rational and justifiable? March 3, 2011 saint_2129@ The two governments have their own reasons, it is just sad that Taiwan Government has resorted to poor OFW to get the attention of the Philippine government (but then the focus is now more on Libya OFW).Gladly, Hong Kong government did not do the same, when a Philippine police officer gone amok with their nationals sometime last year. Two Chinese government, two employing Filipino as industry helpers, but different ways of handling political issues. March 3, 2011 mahalvenus@ mk614@ wrote: Actually my friend its not slaves... slaves have no salary. A Filipino worker has a salary, so its not slaves my dear. Please be careful with your words.Philippine is acting as if they are a big and powerful country like USA and China. But they are nothing but a country of servants and slaves. The country cannot survive without oversea workers. The beggars shouldn't act in such a stupid manner. Everyone has to remember there is only one China and also there is One Taiwan. The fact is Taiwan is not a part of China. If Taiwan sends all those 70,000 workers back to Philippines, their country will collapse. President Aquino says his government will assist the OFW if they lose the jobs in Taiwan, but that is a bunch of bull. They cannot even help those helpless OFW in Libya right now. I really feel sorry for those OFW caught up in this stupid government actions. How are they going to make a living in Philippines? Resort to Philippine cottage industry of kidnapping the Chinese kids? March 5, 2011 look_whos_human@ allen.parungao@ wrote: We are not slaves nor servants. We are just hard working people who doesn't care about the kind of job we have for as long as it's decent and will be able to help our families. And I think that's noble because we value our families so much. Most of us Filipinos are educated, college graduate, professionals before we can go to your country to work just as a factory worker or maids. It is such a pity that we have to take what your country would call us or how you are going to treat us. But before you give nasty comments such as these, I hope that you have to take into consideration also what we, your "so-called country of slaves and servants" have contributed to your economy as well. I have nothing against Taiwan nor its people, in fact Taiwan have been my second home since I was there for nine years. I have so much to thank for in your country and I have only good words to utter. I just hope that this problem will be over. Let's just all be hopeful for peace and regard each other as brothers.I hope it will be okay because the affected here are the ofw. We are very sorry about this incident... March 7, 2011 rems0727@ ekraft46@ wrote: lol! There's no progress in the Philippines... minimum wage is not enough...aquino has a good idea for a change: the workers could stay in their own country. Heard Jollibee was hiring. March 8, 2011 sandyshi@ The issue is that the Philippines government is just pure stupid. Why not apologize, there is a bigger stake for them to lose. Sending Taiwanese to China would be the same as sending Filipinos to southern Muslim terrorists of Philippines. Understand the pain caused and issue an unconditional apology. Otherwise the ofw will suffer.I suggest that all ofw gather together and protest against their government. March 10, 2011 tang_jho1@ No wonder that Taiwan can't get deeper diplomatic relationship with other countries because of its persuasive and irrational actions and its high grade pride of their own... March 10, 2011 fr.damaso@ tang_jho1@ wrote: We CHOOSE our friends & partners. We don't need corrupt robbers and full of lies government and a stupid president...No wonder that Taiwan can't get deeper diplomatic relationship with other countries because of its persuasive and irrational actions and its high grade pride of their own... | |||||||||||||
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