MANILA, Philippines — With the Chinese ambassador's statements last week raising concerns for migrant Filipino workers, the foreign affairs department assured the public that it already has plans in place to keep Filipinos working in Taiwan safe.
There are more than 158,000 Overseas Filipino Workers in the self-governing island. Under the 'One China' policy, the Philippines has formal relations with the People's Republic of China and informal economic and cultural ties with Taiwan.
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"We assure the public that contingency plans are in place in all places where there are high numbers of OFWs," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Monday evening.
Manila has instructed labor attachés to always be visible to the OFW community in Taiwan.
The Department of Foreign Affairs issued the statement after Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian warned the Philippines against expanding US military access to Philippine facilities.
Huang said:
Some tried to find excuse for the new EDCA sites by citing the safety of the 150,000 OFWs in Taiwan, while China is the last country that wishes to see conflict over the Strait because people on both sides are Chinese. But we will not renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. This is to guard against external interference and all separatist activities. The Philippines is advised to unequivocally oppose “Taiwan independence” rather than stoking the fire by offering the US access to the military bases near the Taiwan Strait if you care genuinely about the 150,000 OFWs.
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Without elaborating, the embassy said that Huang's statements were "misquoted or misinterpreted" after government agencies, including the National Security Council and the Department of National Defense, released statements in response.
Even the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity took note of Huang’s claims comparing the Mindanao peace process to its situation with Taiwan.
The DFA, on the other hand, said the Philippines "[offers] our friendship to all."
"Our dealings with all countries have always been on the basis of mutual respect and adherence to the general principles of international law, including the non-use of force as an instrument of national policy," DFA said.