Taiwan: Information on the Filipino community

Information on this subject is scarce. According to the Country Reports 1995, there are 55,000 workers from the Philippines in Taiwan (1996, 605). Country Reports 1996 states that there are 72,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan (1997). The Republic of China Yearbook of 1996 states that "a total of 12,383 foreign maids, mostly from the Philippines, are employed as domestic helpers in families with dependents under 12 or over 70 years of age" (1997, 323).

According to an August 1995 report from the Free China Review

     Sunday banter before church. Although some employers hire translators and ethnic food cooks, most foreign workers are on their own socially. But Filipinos can rely on a full range of services from the island's Catholic churches (p. 39).

The following information was provided during a 3 February 1997 telephone interview with the vice-president of the Taiwan Human Rights Association in Toronto. The source has been involved with the Fishermen's Service Centre (FSC) board between 1985 and 1990 as  chairman for one year and as member for four years. The FSC is an organization that provides assistance to fishermen in Taiwan. The FSC is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan.

The source stated that the Filipino community in Taiwan consists mainly of migrant workers who are employed in the construction and shipping industries. The source added that Filipinos are considered cheap manual labour.

The following information was provided during a 14 January 1997 telephone interview with the Bangkok-based Asia-Pacific editor of Jane's Defence Weekly. The source travels frequently to the Philippines and has written extensively on the Philippines and Taiwan.

The source stated that the Filipino presence in Taiwan is substantial. The source added that the strong Taiwanese economy, particularly in the manufacturing industries, attracts cheap manual labour from the Philippines. The source stated that Filipino labourers in Taiwan are vulnerable to exploitation by their employers, a situation common to unskilled migrant workers all over the world. Filipino workers send a large part of their earnings to their families in the Philippines.

The following information was provided during a 12 February 1997 telephone interview with the assistant editor of the Philippines Daily Inquirer, a newspaper published in Manila.

The source stated that there are many illegal Filipino workers in Taiwan and there are instances of Filipino workers being abused in Taiwan. The source added that the Taiwanese government has been receptive to the cases involving mistreatment of Filipino workers in Taiwan.

For additional information on foreign workers in Taiwan, please consult The Republic of China Yearbook of 1996 (pp. 321-323) and the August 1995 issue of the Free China Review (pp. 34-43).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Assistant editor, Philippines Daily Inquirer, Manila. 12 February 1997. Telephone interview.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1996. 1997. United States Department Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Editor, Asia-Pacific Desk, Jane's Defence Weekly, Bangkok, Thailand. 14 January 1997. Telephone interview.

Free China Review [Taipeï]. August 1995. Ma Kai and San Gee. "Foreign Labor: To Hire or Not to Hire."

The Republic of China Yearbook 1996. 1997. Taipeï: Government of Taiwan.

Taiwan Human Rights Association, Toronto. 3 February 1997. Telephone interview with vice-president.

Attachments

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office, pp. 596-605.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1996. 1997. Washington, DC: Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. [Internet] . [Accessed 10 Feb. 1997]

The Economist [London]. 2 March 1991. "Illegal, But Wanted, in Taiwan." (NEXIS)

Free China Review [Taipeï]. August 1995. Ma Kai and San Gee. "Foreign Labor: To Hire or Not to Hire," pp. 34-43.

GMA-7 Radio-Television Arts Network [Quezon City, in Tagalog]. 7 October 1993. "Taiwanese Illegally Recruiting Filipino Fishermen." (FBIS-EAS-93-194  8 Oct. 1993, p. 45)

Manila Bulletin [Manila in English]. 9 August 1991. "Taiwan Ready to Accept Filipino Workers." (FBIS-EAS-91-154  9 Aug. 1991, p. 41)

The Republic of China Yearbook 1996. 1997. "Occupational Skill Testing." Taipeï: Government of Taiwan, pp. 321-323.

Databases Consulted

Carleton University

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Global Business Information. 1990-1996.

Canadian Periodical Index. 1990-1996.

Foreign Broadcasts Information Service (FBIS). 1990-1994.

Public Administration Information System (PAIS). 1990-1996.

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World News Index.

Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) Resource Centre

        Asia-Pacific Database.

University of Ottawa

        Orbis Database.

East Asian Miracle Database.

Expanded Academic Index: Index to Periodical Articles in English Geography.

Index to UN Documents.

Wilson Business Abstracts.

World Population Projection 1994-1995: Population Structure.

World Population Vital Statistics 1994-1995.

Ottawa Public Library

        Gateway Database.

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OPL Database.

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        Business Index International.

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Les Affaires.