MANILA: Filipino workers in Taiwan have been advised to stay indoors as emotions continued to run high against the Philippines over the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman on May 9.
Following the advice of Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) resident representative in Taipei Antonio Basilio, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the prudent thing to do at this time for Filipinos in Taiwan is to stay indoors and limit their movements.
“Mr Basilio told me that they have issued an advisory to our fellow countrymen there that they should try to limit their movements outside, that they should avoid doing unnecessary things,” Valte said.
“They should limit their movements within their workplaces and their homes for the meantime. I also understand from Mr Basilio that they are speaking to the Filipino communities to apprise them of what had happened,” Valte added.
She said the Philippine government does not want the tension to escalate and result in violence, which is the reason why the government is calling upon the Taiwanese people not to harass Filipinos because they had nothing to do with the death of the fisherman.
“We’ve repeatedly made the call for calm and that our Filipino overseas workers in Taiwan have nothing to do with the incident... they are there to work, they are not there to make trouble,” Valte said. Anger has grown in Taiwan after a Taiwanese fisherman was shot dead on May 9 by the Philippine Coast Guard. Taiwan has imposed sanctions against the Philippines, banning the entry of any more workers, recalling its de facto envoy and holding a military exercise in waters near the northern Philippines last week.
At the same time, the Philippine government also informed the estimated 85,185 Filipino workers in Taiwan of the efforts to put them out of harm’s way, as well as the steps taken in light of the situation, where anti-Filipino sentiment among Taiwanese is still running high.
Records from the Department of Labor and Employment showed that out of the 85,185 Filipino workers in Taiwan, a vast majority of them, or 72 percent, are in the manufacturing sector, 26 percent are in personal/social services and two percent in the fishing sector. As for the Filipinos who still face problems from employers despite compliance with all the measures, MECO advised them to seek assistance, Valte assured.
“They (Filipino workers) should contact MECO at the soonest and then to make the proper representations. Our counterparts there are ready to help them. They can also ask for assistance from MECO,” she said.
The Philippine star
