103 laid off OFWs from Taiwan to arrive in RP

MANILA, Philippines - At least 103 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are set to return to the Philippines from Taiwan on Tuesday after being laid-off due to the impact of the global financial crisis, Migrante International said Monday.

In an interview over radio dzBB, Migrante chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said 82 OFWs will arrive shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday aboard a China Airlines flight, while a second batch consisting of 21 OFWs will arive via a Philippine Airlines flight at 7:30 p.m.

Regalado said as of November 2007, 720 Filipinos in Taiwan have already lost their jobs after companies there were forced to close down or lay off workers due to the global financial crisis.

"The companies closed down because of the financial crisis. Meron ng 12 companies na nag-close down. Total of 720 OFWs ang nawalan ng trabaho as of November 2008 (Twelve companies have closed down. A total of 720 OFWs have lost their jobs as of November 2008)," said Regalado.

She said some 89 of those who lost their jobs have already returned in the Philippines as they cannot stay in Taiwan without work.

For his part, Labor Sec. Marianito Roque said in a separate dzBB interview that the Taiwanese company, which he did not name, did not close down but merely cut down the number of its employees.

Roque said the 103 Filipinos set to arrive Tuesday are part of the 123 who lost their jobs from the Taiwanese company.

While he affirmed that around 720 OFWs have lost their jobs as of November, Roque clarified that not all were laid off as some merely had expired contracts. "Hindi laid off yung iba sa kanila, natapos ang kontrata (Some were not laid off, their contracts just expired)," he said.

Roque assured that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will extend assistance to the OFWs, saying the department will deploy assistance teams to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) starting Tuesday.

"Tinutulungan natin, kaya nga tayo simula bukas meron tayong assistance teams sa NAIA (We are helping them, in fact starting tomorrow we'll have assistance teams in NAIA)," he said, adding that they will provide training from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and referrals to possible job opportunities.

Roque added that the 123 Filipino workers laid off in Taiwan is the biggest number so far.

"Ito pa lang ang medyo maramihang numero. Katulad ng sa Italy meron mga kaunting mababawas na hotel workers pero ayaw naman magsiuwi dahil lilipat sila ng trabaho. May resiliency tayo pagdating sa ganito kaya hindi tayo dapat masyadong mangamba (This is out highest number so far. In Italy, some Filipino hotel workers will be laid off but they don't want to return to the Philippines because they just want to find jobs there in Italy. We have resiliency in circumstances like this so we shouldn't worry too much)," he said.

"Kung sakali man meron tayong nakahandang programa (If ever they return, we have readied programs for them)," said Roque, adding that the department is currently meeting to prepare for possible future scenarios. - GMANews.TV

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