Two-thirds of this year’s budget of the newly-established Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) or P10.6 billion had been earmarked for welfare services of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), including the Emergency Repatriation Program. This is more than enough to cover the repatriation of an estimated 200,000 OFWs currently in Taiwan, if the government is forced to have their safe return home.
It would be prudent on the part of the government to always have contingency plans for Filipinos living and working not only in Taiwan but anywhere in the world if evacuation is needed.
The Chinese Embassy already clarified that Ambassador Huang Xilian’s remarks concerning OFWs in Taiwan were misquoted, misunderstood, or taken out of context. All things considered; we expect our concerned agencies to put in place strategic plans in case of any eventuality. The safety and well-being of our kababayans abroad should always be our primordial concern.
Wala akong nakikitang masama kung mapaghandaan natin ang mga hindi kanais-nais na pangyayari at habang patuloy tayong umaasa na mananaig ang diplomasya at dialogo sa pagitan ng Taiwan at China. We must, however, exhaust all means to ensure that our OFWs are safe.