Gordon calls for pullout of OFWs

Former Sen. Richard Gordon: Pullout. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Former Sen. Richard Gordon on Monday said the government should not allow Filipinos in Taiwan to be held as economic hostages, and called on it to pull out the Filipinos there amid tensions caused by the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Filipino coast guards three weeks ago.

In a statement, Gordon said the government should recall overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan in response to Taipei’s decision to freeze new jobs for Filipino migrant workers.

“If this is so, then we have to maintain our dignity by pulling out our workers to show that no nation holds our people hostage. Our national sovereignty and interests cannot be compromised by the Taiwanese holding [OFWs] as economic hostages,” Gordon said.

He said the Philippine government should provide jobs to the Filipinos working in Taiwan if they could no longer be protected or were no longer welcome there.

“The [Filipino workers] are innocent bystanders to what happened and if the Taiwanese feel that [the Filipinos] are no longer contributing to their economy, and the Philippine government feels they can no longer be adequately given protection by the Taiwanese, then [the overseas workers] must come home to be provided with all the support and jobs by the Philippine government. It is the duty of our government,” he said.

Gordon cited Department of Labor and Employment records that showed there are 85,185 Filipino workers in Taiwan.