No requests for repatriation from OFWs in Taiwan — DFA

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to receive requests for repatriation from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan amid comments made by a Chinese official that they may be affected by the creation of new EDCA bases near the Taiwan Strait.

“As far as the Filipinos in Taiwan are concerned, wala pa kaming nababalitaan na gustong umuwi o nababahala. Sanay na sila dito,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said at the Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday.

(We have yet to receive information that they want to go home or that they are concerned. They are already used to it.)

This came after China supposedly "advised" the Philippines to oppose Taiwan's independence instead of offering the United States access to its military facilities near the Taiwan Strait if they cared for the 150,000 OFWs in Taiwan.

Meanwhile, according to De Vega, contingency plans for the OFWs are in place.

“The DFA is committed to the promotion of the welfare and security of all overseas Filipinos, including the migrant workers. So we can assure the public that contingency is in place... where there are high concentrations for OFWs, including Taiwan,” he said.

De Vega also said that the DFA maintains the One-China principle.

The One-China principle is the position of the Chinese government that there is only one state under China and that Taiwan is part of China.

“DFA reaffirms the One China policy stance. So sabihin natin Taiwan. Hindi bansang Taiwan,” De Vega said.

(If we mention Taiwan we just call it by name.)

Trafficking cases

Meanwhile, De Vega said that the DFA repatriated a total of 203 trafficking victims from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.

He said 90 were repatriated from Myanmar, 52 were repatriated from Cambodia, and 68 were repatriated from Laos.

De Vega said the DFA is also expecting four more to be repatriated from Bangkok on Tuesday.

“Naka tawid na sila. Naayos natin na pakawalan sila ng kanilang mga amo. And meron pang expected, about, maybe about half a dozen more,” he said.

(They were able to go after they were released by their employers. We are also expecting more, maybe a half dozen.)

According to De Vega, the DFA also observed a decrease in the number of trafficking victims.

“Ang magandang balita diyan, mukhang nakikinig naman yung ating mga kababayan… kasi lately, bumababa na ‘yung mga numbers ng mga Pilipino na kailangan natin tulungan,” he said.

(The good news is that our countrymen seem to be listening. We've noticed a decline in the number of people that need help.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News