MECO slams ‘false’ Migrante report on Taiwan OFWs
MANILA, Philippines — "Totally false and irresponsible."
This was how the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) described claims by Migrante International that Philippine representative office to Taiwan failed to adequately represent the interest of 1,263 who have lost their jobs recently.
Migrante chairman Gary Martinez last week claimed that the OFWs who were retrenched by 18 firms in Taiwan as a result of the global financial crisis were asked by MECO to shoulder their airfare home as it was unable to compel employers and recruitment agencies to pay for this expense as provided by law.
In a statement on Tuesday, MECO Corporate Secretary Raul C. Rabe said Migrante’s report was “grossly irresponsible and harmful" to some 90,000 Filipino nationals under MECO’s care.
Rabe also denied Migrante’s claim that there were Filipino workers who were stranded in Taiwan as a result of their former employers’ failure to pay for their airfare back to the Philippines .
Rabe said these allegations “are false and irresponsible, as it unduly raises concern in the families of our workers, and can cause unwarranted tension between us and Taiwan when we are already closely working together to alleviate the impact of the global financial crisis on OFWs."
MECO Resident Representative Antonio I. Basilio earlier disclosed efforts for more Filipinos to be employed in Taiwan in line with its planned $15-billion economic stimulation program.
Basilio said that even before this, new job openings for Filipinos still remain in sectors that are not as affected by the crisis, while deployment of new workers has outstripped the number of workers retrenched in November and this month.
Labor Affairs chief Rodolfo M. Sabulao also reported to Basilio on Dec. 8 that contrary to the Migrante allegation, “There is no displaced OFW that is left in Taiwan for lack of a plane ticket."
“As has been earlier reported, workers whose employment contracts are pre-terminated on account of the current global financial crisis are able to get their benefits, including plane fare back home except in the case of ASE (Advanced Semi-Conductor Engineering Co. Ltd.) where the company gave NT$ 1,500 only."
“In the case of ASE we tried to haggle for free plane fare but since there was no provision in the contract that made it mandatory for the employer to pay for the tickets, we settled because it was the amount the company could afford," Sabulao‘s report said..
He also denied Martinez’s allegation that MECO was unable to adequately represent the interests of OFWs in Taiwan to get the full benefits due them under the law.
“The only instance where MECO fails to maximize the payment of benefits is when the workers themselves voluntarily apply for pre-termination of employment contract. Such as, when the employer offers free plane tickets and waiver of break contract penalty. Still, MECO ascertains itself that the claim is voluntary and the worker is apprised of his rights," he said in his report.
Sabulao said MECO heightens its involvement in the case of OFWs let go of by their Taiwanese employers.
“Government’s assistance to displaced workers in Taiwan is in place from the time of the notification by their employers of the decision to retrench or shut down up to their arrival in Manila.
“All they have to do is to inform MECO of the company’s decision so it can represent them at the negotiating table. Before they leave Taiwan , proper documentation is conducted on every displaced worker with the corresponding recommendation to the Department of Labor regarding unpaid claims and preferred mode of assistance.
“Upon their arrival in Manila , a composite team from DOLE, OWWA, POEA, TESDA, SSS, and Philhealth await them at the NAIA airport to render assistance depending of the preference of the displaced worker," he said. - GMANews.TV
This was how the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) described claims by Migrante International that Philippine representative office to Taiwan failed to adequately represent the interest of 1,263 who have lost their jobs recently.
Migrante chairman Gary Martinez last week claimed that the OFWs who were retrenched by 18 firms in Taiwan as a result of the global financial crisis were asked by MECO to shoulder their airfare home as it was unable to compel employers and recruitment agencies to pay for this expense as provided by law.
In a statement on Tuesday, MECO Corporate Secretary Raul C. Rabe said Migrante’s report was “grossly irresponsible and harmful" to some 90,000 Filipino nationals under MECO’s care.
Rabe also denied Migrante’s claim that there were Filipino workers who were stranded in Taiwan as a result of their former employers’ failure to pay for their airfare back to the Philippines .
Rabe said these allegations “are false and irresponsible, as it unduly raises concern in the families of our workers, and can cause unwarranted tension between us and Taiwan when we are already closely working together to alleviate the impact of the global financial crisis on OFWs."
MECO Resident Representative Antonio I. Basilio earlier disclosed efforts for more Filipinos to be employed in Taiwan in line with its planned $15-billion economic stimulation program.
Basilio said that even before this, new job openings for Filipinos still remain in sectors that are not as affected by the crisis, while deployment of new workers has outstripped the number of workers retrenched in November and this month.
Labor Affairs chief Rodolfo M. Sabulao also reported to Basilio on Dec. 8 that contrary to the Migrante allegation, “There is no displaced OFW that is left in Taiwan for lack of a plane ticket."
“As has been earlier reported, workers whose employment contracts are pre-terminated on account of the current global financial crisis are able to get their benefits, including plane fare back home except in the case of ASE (Advanced Semi-Conductor Engineering Co. Ltd.) where the company gave NT$ 1,500 only."
“In the case of ASE we tried to haggle for free plane fare but since there was no provision in the contract that made it mandatory for the employer to pay for the tickets, we settled because it was the amount the company could afford," Sabulao‘s report said..
He also denied Martinez’s allegation that MECO was unable to adequately represent the interests of OFWs in Taiwan to get the full benefits due them under the law.
“The only instance where MECO fails to maximize the payment of benefits is when the workers themselves voluntarily apply for pre-termination of employment contract. Such as, when the employer offers free plane tickets and waiver of break contract penalty. Still, MECO ascertains itself that the claim is voluntary and the worker is apprised of his rights," he said in his report.
Sabulao said MECO heightens its involvement in the case of OFWs let go of by their Taiwanese employers.
“Government’s assistance to displaced workers in Taiwan is in place from the time of the notification by their employers of the decision to retrench or shut down up to their arrival in Manila.
“All they have to do is to inform MECO of the company’s decision so it can represent them at the negotiating table. Before they leave Taiwan , proper documentation is conducted on every displaced worker with the corresponding recommendation to the Department of Labor regarding unpaid claims and preferred mode of assistance.
“Upon their arrival in Manila , a composite team from DOLE, OWWA, POEA, TESDA, SSS, and Philhealth await them at the NAIA airport to render assistance depending of the preference of the displaced worker," he said. - GMANews.TV
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