ShareThisThe future looks bleak for Filipino workers in Taiwan, more than 70,000 of them, after the Taiwanese government started terminating or not renewing the contracts of some of them. Worse yet, the Taiwanese government has imposed a temporary freeze in the recruitment of Filipino workers into the country. Those who had already signed contracts and were ready to fly to Taiwan were told to hold their trip in abeyance.
It all started when 14 Taiwanese were arrested by the Bureau of Immigration operatives in connection with alleged illegal drugs activities. Then, instead of deporting the Taiwanese nationals to Taiwan, they were shipped to mainland China, an action which angered the Taiwanese government. Taiwan was angry because the deportation to China came despite the former’s persistent appeal that the arrested Taiwanese nationals be instead deported to their country of origin, which is Taiwan.
An angry Taiwan then demanded apology from the Philippine government but instead of appeasing the Taiwanese, the Philippine leaders stood firm on their decision and denying Taiwan’s reques,t triggering the recall of Taiwan’s de-facto resident representative back to Taipeh.
The backlash of that seemingly innocent mistake then worsened – the Filipino workers who had signed contracts to work in Taiwan were told to hold their trip in abeyance until the two countries sorted out their differences. Then, Taiwan ordered a freeze in the hiring of Filipino workers. And then, Filipino workers already in Taiwan whose contracts had expired were told to go home.
Still, the Philippine officials would not budge on their stand.
When Filipino workers who have been sending millions of pesos to their loved ones in the Philippines protested, Malacanang sent its resident representative, Amadeo Perez, a former city mayor and congressman, to Taipeh to thresh out the issues. Perez himself had offered apologies, but it appeared to be futile.
Malacanang then sent its chief troubleshooter, former Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas, to Taipeh to explain the Philippine government’s action on the 14 Taiwanese. Roxas personally met and appealed the case with Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou. The Taiwan leader, instead of cooling down, demanded official apology and, when Roxas and Malacanang would not agree, the Taiwanese President appeared more angry later after the meeting.
What would placate Taiwan now? After making a bad situation worse that it already is Malacanang officials and Philippine foreign affairs experts better study well their options before opening their mouth, otherwise another mistake may prove fatal to the thousands of Filipino workers there and those depending on them.
Perhaps a crash course in diplomacy will serve our Philippine leaders well. Simply told, butting heads with Taiwan was a display of poor judgment and lack of foresight.