MECO arranging Pinoy workers' redeployment to Taiwan

Now that Taiwan has lifted a three-month hiring freeze on Filipinos, Philippine authorities in Taiwan are now arranging to ensure the smooth re-deployment of Filipino workers there.

Manila Economic and Cultural Office head Amadeo Perez Jr. said Friday he will meet soonest with the concerned agencies on the matter.

"Pupulungin ko ang lahat na kawani ng attached agencies [at] tingnan ang paraan para ma-redeploy, madagdagan ang Philippine workers dito [sa Taiwan]," Perez said in an interview on dzBB radio.

He said they will also assess the "damage" to the employment chances of Filipino workers whose slots had been taken by other nationals during the three-month freeze.

Taiwan had imposed a freeze in the hiring of Filipino workers last May, after an encounter in the Balintang Channel that killed a Taiwanese fisherman.

"Ang (mga) hindi nakapunta roon, sana... makapunta na. Ang takot ko nag-hire na sila ng taga-ibang bansa (We hope we can remedy this. My concern is that many Filipinos who could have gotten jobs in Taiwan in the last three months had been replaced by workers of other nationalities)," Perez said.

On Thursday night, Taiwan lifted its sanctions on the Philippines after Perez went to the family of the slain fisherman and relayed the Philippines' apologies.

A day earlier, the National Bureau of Investigation announced it was recommending criminal charges against eight Coast Guard personnel who fired at the Taiwanese fishing boat.

The NBI also said it is recommending charges against four Coast Guard personnel who allegedly tried to alter the evidence.

A report on Taiwan's Central News Agency said Taiwan's Council of Labor Affairs will resume processing applications for hiring Filipino workers on Friday.

CNA cited data showing the CLA gets an average of 2,000 applications for importing new workers from the Philippines a month.

This includes manufacturing workers and caregivers.

On the other hand, the CLA said technology companies form the bulk of applicants interested in hiring Filipino workers.

Perez also said the tension between Filipinos and Taiwanese in Taiwan had died down, as early as May.

"Wala na, Mayo pa, tahimik na tahimik na (The tension had died down as early as May. Everything is peaceful)," he said. — LBG, GMA News