Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) chairman Amadeo Perez (Center) AFP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – As much as 16,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have been affected by the freeze hiring in Taiwan, according to the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO).
The number included around 6,000 new OFWs who could no longer go to Taiwan even though they have already paid their placement fees,
“When the sanctions were imposed by Taiwan about 6,000 new OFWs were not able to go to Taiwan although they have paid the placement fees already,” MECO chairman Amadeo Perez said Wednesday in an interview.
Previously, 10,000 OFWs were not issued re-entry visas to go back to their jobs in Taiwan.
Relations between Taiwan and the Philippines went sour after one Taiwanese fisherman was killed when the Philippine Coast Guard opened fire on their fishing boat off in Balintang Channel last May 9 in an alleged intrusion incident.
Taiwan has since replaced the Filipinos with Indonesian and Vietnamese workers.
Currently, about 90,000 OFWs are in Taiwan, Perez said.