A Filipino advocate revealed some common exploitative conditions endured by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan in his column on Manila Bulletin on Monday, urging the Philippine government to step up efforts to protect its nationals working overseas.
Tonyo Cruz highlighted some of the far-from-satisfactory conditions facing Filipinos working in Taiwan, most of whom were employed as fishermen, caretakers, or factory and construction workers with low wages but high employer demands.
A Filipino father of three who went to Taiwan to work as a fisherman to improve his family’s income was forced to labor from 4am to 6pm every day. He was given the first meal of the day at 1:30pm, and there was no mention of whether he could have any other proper meals throughout the day, Cruz reported.
Caretakers are given better accommodations in general, he noted, because they live in their employers’ homes. However, they are forced to do a lot more than domestic chores. What is more worrying is that it is not uncommon for malicious bosses to direct crass or coercive sexual behavior toward vulnerable live-in maids.
Factory and construction workers who take on the same duties as their Taiwanese peers cannot enjoy the same benefits.
According to Cruz, the government of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte should reorient the “informal” embassy in Taiwan, known officially as the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, by strengthening its role in safeguarding labor rights and benefits of Filipino workers on the island.
At the very least, he said, the Philippine government should require brokers and employers to shoulder OFWs’ board and lodging expenses, as Indonesian nationals have been freed of such charges with the assistance of their government.
hopefully mapatupad to…my mga fctory workers kc na ngwowork na s fctory pti sa bhay ng mga amo dn
Dapt lng nmn n pati broker amo n magbbyad dhil….lalo n sa mga ofw n malayong malayo ang trabaho sa pinirmahan n kontrata………tsk tsk…….salute pres duterte.
Dapat lang sagutin nila ang board and loadging pati pagkain at brokers fee
sana nga po fair lahat at sana po meron din matatanggap ang mga worker na naninilbihan ng 10yrs sa iisang employer!
Tama low salary pero too much work pa at kailangan pa magwork sa iba kaanak kulang sa food wala sa tama ang fud sana maaksyunana n ng ating pangulo ang problemang ito karihan di sila nasunod sa contrata at dapat alisin na ang broker system
Sana nga maging fair lahat,, ct at cg gwin nila 8 hours,, stay out nlng pra iwas abusobsa trbahtrbaho.
tatay digong aasahan nmin yan at hihintayin kng kilan maayus aNg prblima dto ng mga ofw..
Too true.
fight what is right
Hopefully magawa PO ang tamang pagtrato SA mga worker lalong lalo na kming mga caretaker 24/7 work walang day off.
as caretaker,sana mapasali kami sa minimum wage na 21knt ,ang baba kc sahud nmin eh halos 24/7 dn kmi wrk taz 15 or 17 knt lng sinasahud nmin.napakaunfair
Agree!!
kahit food and lodging masagot ng company…mlaki ang binabayaran ng mga workers s factory
Npakakala king tulong napo yun sming mga OFW kh8 un nlangb rokers,fee mawala….grabe every 2months kinakaltasan kmi 3,600 kc 1,800 everymonth.tpos kongm ay,prblema kmi.sa boss nmin hindi nman masolosyunan ng,broker..para saan ba yung 3,600 na kinakaltas tlga bang obligasyun nming magbbyad sa broker, hanggang,matapos ang contract nmin? Wala nmang.ginagawa un cla..nkkainis lang isipin na kmi ang nagpupuyat,halos walas a tamang urasa ng kaina t.tulog samantlng cla dawat linis lang nyeta,huhu sana nman maaksyunan agad..kh8 yan nlang pamasko,ni pres.duterte saming.OFW d2 sa taiwan.????
Sana na nga po pra sa mga ssnunod na mgwork dto..at yong brokers fee monthly for 3yrs.na binabayaran nmin..pra saan nga ba yon?
We are expecting for it to happen… equal rights and justice to all OFW workers in Taiwan.
Nga nmn dapat shoulder ng employee ang board and lodging 4knt din un.. plus ung broker pa once a month na nga lng pumunta minsan wala pa.. 1500 pa monthly ang kaltas..kung ipapalit mo sa peso kulang kulang 10k din
looking forward for the action of the new administration..PRES.DUTERTE…were hoping for your help@consideration for us here in taiwan..
Sana nga po magawan tlaga Ng paraan..
Right on! Very true…