Bulk of Taiwan OFWs in manufacturing sector to remain despite crisis
MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) on Wednesday said that the majority of some 60,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) now working in the manufacturing sector of Taiwan will likely be unaffected by the global financial crisis that has caused a slowdown in the Taiwanese exports sector.
In a statement, MECO Resident Representative Antonio I. Basilio said another 30,000 of some 90,000 Filipinos working in Taiwan are seen to be insulated from the crisis due to their work in largely-unaffected sectors like construction, household services, and fishing, while more available jobs are expected for Filipinos from a $NT 6.8 billion-per-year economic stimulus package that the Taiwanese government is set to implement starting next year.
Basilio categorically took exception to a news report published in a local newspaper that quoted him as saying that 60,000 OFWs in the Taiwanese manufacturing sector are in danger of losing their jobs because of the crisis.
“I never said that 60,000 Filipino workers are in danger of losing their jobs. That would be inconceivable since this constitutes the entire complement of Filipinos presently working in the manufacturing sector in Taiwan," he said.
“In fact, new OFW deployment to firms in the manufacturing sector continues, meaning that the impact of the crisis is not sector-wide," he added.
Basilio said other Taiwanese manufacturing firms are still hiring new workers. Companies that have retrenched workers or temporarily closed down operations are mainly in the textiles and electronics sub-sectors, whose exports to the US and other countries have been hammered by the crisis.
Basilio cited a report dated Dec. 12 prepared by Labor Attaché Rodolfo M. Sabulao, on the 85,465 OFWs listed under his care as of last Oct. 31. Of these, 61,660 were in the manufacturing sector; 22,693 in social services; 339 in the building industry; and 773 were fishermen.
Sabulao said that around 3,000 OFWs mainly from the manufacturing sector may be adversely affected by the crisis by the end of the year and perhaps another 3,000 by the end of the first quarter of 2009.
Sabulao said the government is closely coordinating with the CLA and the labor bureaus of local government units so the MECO labor office can immediately intervene during negotiations on separation entitlements and benefits between the company and workers prior to their repatriation.
Workers departing from Taiwan are also given assistance at the airport. Displaced workers are also profiled for their receipt of assistance services upon their arrival in Manila, with the OWWA providing temporary shelter to workers residing outside Manila. MECO is also furnishing Taiwan industry and trade associations with a database of returning OFWs for possible hiring in Taiwanese firms operating in the Philippines.
But Sabulao stressed that jobs even in the manufacturing sector remain open to Filipinos.
“Since not all companies in the manufacturing sector are affected, we expect deployment to Taiwan to continue despite the adverse effect of the current global financial crisis," said Sabulao.
On the other hand, Sabulao noted that there has been a 46% increase in job orders for domestic and health care workers, which will carry over to new OFW deployments in the first semester next year.
Basilio said the Taiwan Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) announced no changes in Taiwan’s foreign labor policies despite the economic slowdown, since foreign workers are needed to address specific requirements of the economy. The Taiwanese government is also planning to spend $NT 6.8 billion a year starting next year for job creation, which is also seen to benefit OFWs.
In a briefing last Tuesday by York Liao, secretary general of the CLA Council for Economic Planning and Development said Taiwan may hire more foreign workers beyond the current 300,000 now in Taiwan. These will be employed in new ventures and projects under Taiwan’s planned $NT 500-billion expenditure for 12 infrastructure projects from next year until 2010. - GMANews.TV/ MECO press release
In a statement, MECO Resident Representative Antonio I. Basilio said another 30,000 of some 90,000 Filipinos working in Taiwan are seen to be insulated from the crisis due to their work in largely-unaffected sectors like construction, household services, and fishing, while more available jobs are expected for Filipinos from a $NT 6.8 billion-per-year economic stimulus package that the Taiwanese government is set to implement starting next year.
Basilio categorically took exception to a news report published in a local newspaper that quoted him as saying that 60,000 OFWs in the Taiwanese manufacturing sector are in danger of losing their jobs because of the crisis.
“I never said that 60,000 Filipino workers are in danger of losing their jobs. That would be inconceivable since this constitutes the entire complement of Filipinos presently working in the manufacturing sector in Taiwan," he said.
“In fact, new OFW deployment to firms in the manufacturing sector continues, meaning that the impact of the crisis is not sector-wide," he added.
Basilio said other Taiwanese manufacturing firms are still hiring new workers. Companies that have retrenched workers or temporarily closed down operations are mainly in the textiles and electronics sub-sectors, whose exports to the US and other countries have been hammered by the crisis.
Basilio cited a report dated Dec. 12 prepared by Labor Attaché Rodolfo M. Sabulao, on the 85,465 OFWs listed under his care as of last Oct. 31. Of these, 61,660 were in the manufacturing sector; 22,693 in social services; 339 in the building industry; and 773 were fishermen.
Sabulao said that around 3,000 OFWs mainly from the manufacturing sector may be adversely affected by the crisis by the end of the year and perhaps another 3,000 by the end of the first quarter of 2009.
Sabulao said the government is closely coordinating with the CLA and the labor bureaus of local government units so the MECO labor office can immediately intervene during negotiations on separation entitlements and benefits between the company and workers prior to their repatriation.
Workers departing from Taiwan are also given assistance at the airport. Displaced workers are also profiled for their receipt of assistance services upon their arrival in Manila, with the OWWA providing temporary shelter to workers residing outside Manila. MECO is also furnishing Taiwan industry and trade associations with a database of returning OFWs for possible hiring in Taiwanese firms operating in the Philippines.
But Sabulao stressed that jobs even in the manufacturing sector remain open to Filipinos.
“Since not all companies in the manufacturing sector are affected, we expect deployment to Taiwan to continue despite the adverse effect of the current global financial crisis," said Sabulao.
On the other hand, Sabulao noted that there has been a 46% increase in job orders for domestic and health care workers, which will carry over to new OFW deployments in the first semester next year.
Basilio said the Taiwan Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) announced no changes in Taiwan’s foreign labor policies despite the economic slowdown, since foreign workers are needed to address specific requirements of the economy. The Taiwanese government is also planning to spend $NT 6.8 billion a year starting next year for job creation, which is also seen to benefit OFWs.
In a briefing last Tuesday by York Liao, secretary general of the CLA Council for Economic Planning and Development said Taiwan may hire more foreign workers beyond the current 300,000 now in Taiwan. These will be employed in new ventures and projects under Taiwan’s planned $NT 500-billion expenditure for 12 infrastructure projects from next year until 2010. - GMANews.TV/ MECO press release
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