Taiwan - Migrants Nightmare
Document Title: Taiwan - Migrants Nightmare
Document Ref No: R9705163
First Published: Reflections - TBA
Publication Date: 16th May 1997
Author's Name: Father Shay Cullen, SSC
Elivira Entredicho has been virtually a slave to a Taiwanese family since 1987. She was illegally employed, threatened and too frightened to complain. She was forbidden to listen to a radio, watch TV or meet other Filipinos. She was locked up in the house, forced to work when sick and eating food fit only for dogs. She was rescued by two Filipina domestics who came to work for neighbors and she wrote to them. They brought her to the Philippine Labor Attached who gave her protection and legal assistance. Elivira is just one of thousands of Filipino Migrant workers who are abused exploited and abused by employers in Taiwan.
The work of Filipino migrants in Taiwan is of course the 3 D's - Dirty, Dangerous and Difficult, work that the Taiwanese themselves would never do. The Filipino workers cannot form unions, get married or bring their families with them. Basic safety standards are seldom met and the workers are exploited in various ways. Domestics are frequently treated like slaves.
A recent investigation by the Council of Labor Affairs found that out of a total of 198 factories inspected 50% forced the Filipino workers to do unpaid overtime ("volunteer time" ) and 35.4% of the factories had no labor insurance as demanded by law. 20% of the employers refused to allow the workers take a day off each week or even annual leave. News reports tell of domestic workers who have been beaten, sexually abused, unjustly accused of crimes and deported without just cause. This abuse must be stopped.
There is a lot the Philippine Government can do if only there is the political will to put the basic human and labor rights of Filipinos before the greedy interests of Taiwanese tycoons. These workers remit billions of dollars that put food on the tables of unemployed and impoverished relatives and the third highest earner of foreign remittances. Government should realize that the migrants are forced to go abroad because of former corrupt administrations gouging the national coffers and the failure of successive administrations to break the economic control of elite family dynasties.
President Ramos who has vowed to dismantle monopolies, political dynasties and the economic elite for the sake of the poor could easily reach out to the migrant workers in Taiwan. There is progress but not enough.
Only last June the Philippine Labor Council issued the following requirements for Taiwanese employers.
1. Mandatory Labor and medical insurance of domestic workers
2. Employer to submit proof of financial stability and number of family members and pets.
3. Interview of employers hiring replacement workers.
4. For those hiring domestic workers the submission of a job description and a guarantee letter for the worker to prevent those hired for domestic work being forced into factories. Employers have to notify the Manila office before firing employees.
The Taiwanese authorities and employers strongly objected and even held a protest at the Philippine Embassy. The Taiwan Council of Labor Affairs also demanded that the provisions be suspended. The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) lobbied the Philippine Government to press ahead with the implementation but the Government officials surrendered to Taiwanese pressure promising to hold further discussions with the Taiwanese this August. Why this policy of appeasement? Because of big Taiwanese investments planned for the Philippines? Do some government officials have private businesses that export to Taiwan and use Taiwanese investment and so they refuse to bite the hand that feed them?
Taiwanese Church Groups And NGO's have been fighting hard for the rights of the Filipino workers. Father Eamon Sheridan of the Missionary Society of St.Columban, director of the Bishop's Commission for Social Development Concern for Migrant Workers Service and the Hope Workers Center has been leading the movement for Migrant Workers rights in Taiwan. The NGO's there have 4000 signatures of Filipino migrants demanding the provision be implemented.
"I admire the Philippine Government for doing something...but we need to see further action" he told the press . To "Reflections" he said, "We want the Philippine government to implement these measures and to begin negotiations on a comprehensive protection package. Migrants are simply a cheap form of labor to lower production costs and to increase profits for the capitalists". The Department of Labor and Employment ought to know that the thousands of Filipino workers are pinning their hopes on them in the next round of talks, it just can't sell them out to the interests of foreign employers. END
