The government of Taiwan is set to hold additional job fairs for Filipino workers this year, building on the success of a recent job fair in Isabela. The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) reported that the event in June saw 700 applicants hired on the spot, with about 3,000 qualifying for various positions offered by Taiwanese employers.
Due to this success, MECO has scheduled further job fairs on September 11 in Ilocos Sur and October 13 in Leyte.
“These fairs are aimed at hiring skilled workers, particularly factory workers who are highly preferred in Taiwan,” MECO Chairman and Resident Representative Silvestre Bello III stated in an ABS-CBN report. “The minimum wage for our factory workers is about 27,410 NTD, which equates to approximately 48,000 pesos, along with excellent benefits.”
Currently, around 155,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) reside in Taiwan, with approximately 125,000 of them employed in the semiconductor industry. Taiwan also has an increasing demand for caregivers and teachers.
MECO has been deploying an average of 3,000 to 5,000 OFWs per month to Taiwan. Bello assured that Taiwan remains a safe and ideal destination for Filipino workers, despite ongoing tensions with China.
Representative Wallace Chow of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines emphasized the stable trade relationship between Taiwan and China. “Taiwan is still a very safe place. Although there are military drills from China, their purpose is not immediate invasion,” Chow explained. “Both Taiwan and China rely on each other’s supply chains, ensuring mutual dependency.”
Chow also stressed the importance of maintaining peaceful relations. “Both Taiwan and the Philippines are peace-loving countries. We don’t seek conflict with China, and we aim for dialogue and good relations.”
Taiwan’s dominance in the semiconductor industry, supplying about 46% of the world’s chips, positions it as a key player globally. Taiwan is also eager to support the Philippines in developing its semiconductor industry through talent cultivation.
Under the “New Southbound Policy,” Taiwan offers around 2,000 scholarships annually to Filipinos for various academic programs, including undergraduate, master’s, Ph.D., and Mandarin language studies. Recently, 10 Filipino students received scholarships from Taiwan’s International Development and Cooperation Fund (ICDF).
One of the recipients, Joseph Brian Bang-git from Mt. Province, will pursue a master’s program in Civil Engineering and Management at National Cheng Kung University. “This scholarship was an unexpected opportunity I found on Facebook. It will significantly aid my professional development,” Bang-git said.
Chow encouraged scholarship recipients to consider working in Taiwan after their studies. “Since 2017, the Taiwan government has introduced the Taiwan Employment Gold Card, offering foreign professionals numerous benefits,” he added.
In addition to scholarships, Taiwan plans to strengthen collaborations with leading universities in the Philippines for training and recruitment, fostering greater academic and professional exchange between the two nations.
