Taiwan, HK OFWs to get pay hikes in Dec and Jan due to new wage orders

UNDER WATCH Police officers check on foreign domestic helpers and remind them to observe distancing as they spend their rest day on Sunday at Hong Kong’s Central amid the outbreak of coronavirus. (AFP file photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Thousands of Filipino workers in Taiwan and Hongkong are set to benefit from new wage orders beginning the fourth quarter of 2023 to January 2024.

According to Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), Taiwan Ministry of Labor mandates a 4.05 percent increase in the monthly minimum wage of Overseas Filipino Workers.

This order means a minimum salary of new Taiwan dollar (NT$) 26,400 or P46,378 will be raised to NT$ 27,470 or P48,223.

The minimum hourly wage, on the other hand, will increase by NT$7 — which means NT$168 or P295 will be NT$183 or P321.

Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong (HK) will also benefit from a similar wage legislation implemented by Hong Kong’s Labor Department, said DMW.

“Filipinos working as domestic helpers will receive a minimum allowable wage of HK $4,870 or P38,010.

This is a HK$140 increase from the previous rate of HK$4,730 or P36,917.65,” the agency said in a statement.

Apart from the wage hike, Hong Kong’s mandate also covers an adjustment in the food allowance of Filipino domestic helpers, raising it from HK$1,196 or P9,334 to HK$1,236 or P9,649.

DMW, however, clarified wage increases in Hong Kong are only applicable to Overseas Filipino Workers who signed their contract on or after September 30, 2023.

“We thank Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor and the Hongkong Special Administrative Region Labor Department respectively for enacting wage legislation that recognizes the work of our Overseas Filipino Workers and their contribution to the economic development of their host countries,” said DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac.

Cacdac said 151,562 Filipinos are working in Taiwan as of October 2023.

Meanwhile, 196,364 Filipinos are employed as domestic helpers in Hong Kong as of August 2023.