MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Labor, anticipating more layoffs in Taiwan, is sending a team to the island-nation this month to assist Filipino workers in vulnerable firms and help them find jobs back home or in other countries.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque disclosed this plan as more workers were laid off in the export-oriented economy this month. According to data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, another 1,000 workers were retrenched by Taiwanese companies during the month of December.

Compared to workers in other export-oriented economies like South Korea, Roque said overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan were the most vulnerable to the effects of the recession.

There are around 90,000 Filipinos working in Taiwan, most of them in semiconductor and electronics factories. Most of the 3,000 OFWs that returned to the Philippines came from Taiwanese firms that have closed or filed for bankruptcy.

Labor officials in Taiwan said they fear that displaced workers from Taiwanese firms could reach 5,000-6,000 by June 2009.

“They really need assistance. In the next two weeks, we are employing our advance re-integration team to the sites there to assist those who will be displaced,” Roque said.

Roque said the labor department will help displaced workers to look for new jobs in Manila or in other countries, depending on their skills.

“If a company says they will displace workers, the advance team will know immediately how to help the workers, if they are qualified for retraining, referral or livelihood programs. Instead of waiting for them in Manila, we will assist them there,” Roque added.

The re-integration team, which will be headed by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration chief Carmelita Dimzon, will visit companies that are in dire financial situation because of the global financial crisis.

In an earlier interview, Dimzon said the department, with the help of labor officials stationed in Taiwan, was monitoring companies and factories that employ large numbers of Filipinos.