With BBM, Taiwan OFWs ‘missing’ gov’t support

Support for distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan has weakened under the Marcos administration, with the Philippine government still lacking a fully operational shelter, leaving non-government organizations (NGOs) to fill the gap.

In an interview on DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show Usapang OFW, Maryknoll missionary priest Fr. Joy Tajonera said Bahay Ugnayan currently shelters 27 individuals, including eight cancer patients, two who are undergoing physical therapy for work-related injuries, and others awaiting job placement or the resolution of legal cases.

Two Filipinos, he added, had been stranded in the country for months due to investigations linked to ATM and SIM card scams in which they were the victims.

Despite the presence there of the Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Tajonera said there is no adequate Philippine government-run shelter for the workers in Taiwan.

“Officially, we have only one shelter under the Philippine government and that is in Taipei. But it is not fully operational,” Tajonera said. “Maybe it can shelter one, two, or three people. That’s it.”

As a result, distressed OFWs have to depend on friends, relatives, and NGOs like Bahay Ugnayan, the priest said.

Tajonera described this as a gap in the government’s migrant protection system. He called for more dialogues between government agencies like the MWO and OWWA and stakeholders in Taiwan.

While OWWA provides limited assistance, such as for food, Tajonera said most operational costs — including rent, utilities, food, and medical expenses — are shouldered by the private ministry he heads.

“You cannot operate a shelter without sufficient financial support,” he said.

Bahay Ugnayan, he added, has relied largely on donations from religious groups and private individuals for more than two decades.

Tajonera noted that coordination with Philippine government agencies weakened under the Marcos administration, despite strong partnerships with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office during the Arroyo, Aquino and Duterte administrations.

“There is a budget allocated in Taipei to operate a shelter and hire staff,” he said. “Why it is not fully operational is a question the MWO and OWWA should answer.”