Philippine Senator Rafael ‘’Raffy’’ Tulfo has called for working out contingency plans for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) amid China-Taiwan tensions.
The national government and other concerned agencies should come up with a contingency plan, said Tulfo, who is set to become chairman of the Senate Committee on Migrant Workers, said.
He added the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Philippine Overseas Labor & Office (POLO) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should come up with a joint plan for the safety of Filipino workers in Taiwan and “other neighboring countries.”
There are reportedly around 200,000 OFWs in Taiwan and the call for safety came as China launched large-scale military drills in six areas surrounding Taiwan Strait following United States (US) Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan on August 2.
The Taiwanese government has said that some Chinese fighter jets passed through the median lines in the Strait. There were strong statements of condemnation by the US, Japan, and the European Union (EU).
Tulfo said safety and funding assistance for OFWs should be considered.
