DMW: Over 150,000 OFWs to benefit from Taiwan, HK pay hikes

By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter

WAGE HIKES being implemented by Taiwan and Hong Kong (HK) are expected to benefit more than 150,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) working there starting the end of this year, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said on Wednesday.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor in September issued a wage order increasing the monthly minimum salary from NT$26,400 (P46,378.70) to NT$27,470 (P48,223.43), which is a 4.05% increase.

In a statement, the DMW said that 123,768 of the 151,562 OFWs in Taiwan are expected to benefit from the wage order, with about 17,721 expected to be hired in the manufacturing sector by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, in October, Hong Kong’s Labor Department raised the minimum monthly pay for foreign domestic workers to HK$4,870 (P38,010.35) from HK$4,730 (P36,917.65).

Based on DMW data, there are 196,364 OFWs working as domestic helpers in Hong Kong with about 40,000 new hires expected to directly benefit from the new wage order.

The Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong expects about 205,000 Filipino domestic workers to be working in Hong Kong by January.

“We thank Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor and the Hongkong Special Administrative Region Labor Department, respectively, for enacting wage legislation that recognizes the work of our OFWs and their contribution to the economic development of their host countries,” DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac said.

The International Labor Organization has urged the Philippines to work with the ILO and other global partners to help migrant workers who are struggling and not being afforded their basic rights.

Cash remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) rose by 3% in October, as migrant Filipinos sent more money home ahead of the holiday season.

The amount of money sent by was the highest in 10 months or since the $3.16 billion in December last year.