OFWs in Taiwan brush-off invasion warnings
Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac on Friday assured that the agency stands ready with its contingency plan in the event any emergency situations.
THIS satellite image taken on 25 March and received on 3 April by Planet Labs PBC shows three Chinese barges connected via extendable bridges in waters off Zhanjiang city, in southern China’s Guangdong province. Vast new Chinese barges spotted off the country’s south coast could be used to land heavy equipment and thousands of personnel in a possible invasion of Taiwan, defence experts say. The three barges can connect via extendable ramps to form a relocatable 820-meter-long pier from deep waters to land, according to a memo from the US Naval College.
PLANET LABS PBC/AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE
Several overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan have downplayed remarks of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Romeo Brawner who urged Filipino troops to plan for possible actions in case of a Taiwan invasion, emphasizing that there is no cause for concern.
Lala, a Filipino factory worker in Taiwan for nearly a decade, along with her husband, stated that China’s military drills around Taiwan have become a “normal” occurrence.
“That›s unlikely to happen, people in Taiwan are just laughing at the Philippines over that news,” she said.
A teacher in Taiwan, Michael, also echoed the same sentiment, saying that for over five years in the country, discussions about the potential for a Chinese invasion continue to emerge.
On Thursday, 3 April, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) chairperson Cheloy Garafil assured the public that a contingency plan is in place in the event of a Taiwan invasion but emphasized that there is no cause for alarm.
“There is no cause for alarm because everyone here in Taiwan is conducting business as usual. Filipinos here in Taiwan are used to reports of China’s presence around the territory,” she said.
Meanwhile, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac on Friday assured that the agency stands ready with its contingency plan in the event any emergency situations.
“The DMW, in coordination with MECO and the Migrant Workers Offices (MWOs) in Taiwan, is closely monitoring the situation,” Cacdac said. To date, there are around 250,000 OFWs in Taiwan.