Taiwan mulling retaliatory measures against Philippines over travel ban — MECO exec

The Taiwanese government is mulling retaliatory measures against the Philippines after the Department of Health confirmed that the travel ban imposed amid the coronavirus disease outbreak also covers Taiwan.
This was revealed by Chairman Lito Banayo of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the Philippines’ representative office in Taiwan, in an interview with GMA News TV’s Balitanghali on Wednesday.
Banayo said Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen convened a special Cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning to discuss possible retaliatory measures against the Philippines such as the banning of Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan.
Banayo explained that the Taiwanese government took great offense at the Philippines’ inclusion of Taiwan in the travel ban due to the One China Policy.
“Ito po yung sa possible retaliatory measures. Imagine kung hindi nai-renew ang kanilang work contracts or ipagbawal ‘yung factories dito ay magbawas ng Pilipino… those are possible retaliatory measures,” he said.
“Hindi naman sila kasama doon sa naunang travel advisory no’ng February 2. Ngayon, dinagdag sila, lumalabas [na] ang dahilan talaga… ay One China Policy na siyang matinding kinasasama ng loob ng Taiwanese government,” Banayo explained.
However, the MECO chairman said Taiwanese foreign affairs officials are urging the Cabinet to reconsider its plan to implement retaliatory measures after they were given an assurance that the Philippine government will also reevaluate the ban.
“Batay sa usapan namin ni Executive Secretary [Salvador] Medialdea at iba pang opisyal, magrere-assess sila ng situation diyan sa atin. Magme-meet ulit within two or three days,” Banayo said.
Banayo said the 160,000 Filipinos in Taiwan may be affected if the retaliatory measures are implemented.
He added that roughly 100 Filipinos headed for the Philippines are stranded in Taiwan due to the ban.


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