“THE government’s wrongdoing should not be shouldered by innocent people,” read a placard held by a young Taiwanese, during a rally on May 19, to support the plight of Filipinos in Taiwan.
As the diplomatic spat between the Philippines and Taiwan (over the slained Taiwanese fisherman in the disputed waters of the coast of Bataan) intensified, so has the suffering of the people caught in the middle.
Initially, the Philippine government remained laconic and refused to be docile to Taiwan’s demands, which include a formal apology, compensation for the victim’s family, apprehension of the killer and fishing talks.
Dissatisfied by its counterpart’s actions, Taiwan issued a series of sanctions: freeze hiring of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the stoppage of high-level exchanges between the two countries and a travel warning against the Philippines.
After a week of abrasive retorts, the two governments met halfway and agreed on a “cooperative” investigation into the death of the 65-year-old Taiwanese, who is an alleged poacher and gunned down by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on May 9. A cooperative investigation is aimed at gathering and sharing evidence and information to create a consensus through examination.
This doesn’t say much on the safety of Filipinos already working and residing in Taiwan. According to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, there were over 93,800 Filipinos working in Taiwan as of December 2011.
For many years, OFWs in Taiwan enjoyed a far better status, having high-paying jobs to provide for their families back home and above all, security.
However, since the incident began, they sleep with one eye open.
Some Taiwanese, who were outraged by the incident, decided to take matters into their own hands as a form of retaliation. Since the May 9 mishap, there were reports of Filipinos subjected to discrimination and harassment by some Taiwanese. The Manila Economic Cooperation Office (MECO) in Taiwan has confirmed news of Pinoys who were attacked and injured by a Taiwanese gang. Other reports said that Filipinos were denied access to public places and are being called “dogs.”
“We have been receiving unverified accounts of acts of violence…against Filipinos. We have informed Taiwanese authorities of these reports and they have assured us such acts will not be tolerated… wrongdoers shall be prosecuted according to law,” MECO said in its Facebook page.
Even other nationalities, who look Filipino, are targeted. GMA News reported that some Indonesians and Vietnamese were harassed because a Taiwanese group thought they were Filipinos.
Until the tensions de-escalates, MECO advised Pinoys in Taiwan to travel in groups and practice restraint, to “remain calm and avoid any confrontation with any belligerent individuals.”
They were told to immediately report instances of harassment and discrimination for proper verification and appropriate action by police authorities.
“The true character of a people is best tested during difficult times. Kung may galit, hindi tama na ibaling ang galit sa walang kinalaman. At hindi rin tama na salubungin ang galit,” MECO posted on its website.
All these are reactions to a delayed and rejected apology by the Philippine government and to the incessant demands by the Taiwanese government.
It is a problem that could have been easily solved through a pragmatic and diplomatic approach. Instead, it was dealt with in a heated manner.
Until the results of the investigation are deemed favorable by both parties, for Filipinos who suffered (and are still suffering) the wrath of angered Taiwanese, the only option to avoid further altercations might be to flee and come back home, jobless.
(AJPress)