TAIPEI – At least 40 percent of the 5,000 permanently displaced Filipino workers in Taiwan at the height of the global financial crisis last year are now back to work and prospects for deployment are getting better following a positive outlook for this export-oriented economy.

This was revealed by Philippine labor attaché Reydeluz D. Conferido of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan during a talk with visiting Filipino reporters over the weekend.

“Total deployment has reached 70,000 in all from 60,000 OFWs here last year,” Conferido said.

Of the 70,000 OFWs in Taiwan, 40,000 are engaged in the electronics manufacturing and 20,000 are in social services (caregivers, caretakers, nursing aids, domestic workers) and the others in the construction sector, agriculture and fishery.

According to Conferido, Taiwanese electronics firms are now receiving orders from global electronics manufacturers.
Electronics is Taiwan ’s biggest export, thus the local economy was vulnerable to outside developments.

“This augurs well for our better employment prospects next year,” Conferido said.

In terms of economic benefits, the workers in the manufacturing sector receive higher wages compared to those in other occupations groups such as those in domestic and health services, agriculture and fishery, and construction, since the former enjoy overtime work opportunities, which add to their monthly income.

The minimum wage in Taiwan for the manufacturing, agriculture and fishery, construction and nursing aid sectors is NT$17,280 or about P24,192 a month while the household service workers and caretakers receive NT$15,840 or about P22,176.