Taiwan is set to roll out a government-to-government (G-to-G) hiring initiative with the Philippines starting next month, a move seen as a major boost for Filipino migrant workers, according to Maryknoll missionary priest Fr. Joy Tajonera in an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE’s Usapang OFW.

Under the arrangement, Taiwan’s government will establish an office through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Manila, allowing aspiring and returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to apply directly for employment in Taiwan without passing through private recruitment agencies. This means no placement fees will be charged to applicants.

Father Tajonera said the program reflects Taiwan’s growing demand for migrant workers and its push to reduce recruitment costs and financial burdens on OFWs. In case of disputes with employers, workers will be able to seek assistance directly from the Taiwan government, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), and labor offices in Taiwan, instead of dealing with private agents, he explained.

The program will be implemented in close coordination with the Philippine government through the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), forming a direct G-to-G partnership. Taiwan announced that pilot operations are expected to begin within the first quarter of the year, with the possibility of expanding the program to other countries if successful.

Previously, direct hiring existed but depended largely on individual employers to manage recruitment. Under the new setup, the Taiwan government itself will assist employers in selecting Filipino workers, ensuring a more regulated and transparent process.

However, despite the stated intent of the new direct hiring setup, Father Tajonera said both governments must address previous cases in which third parties, including travel agencies, allegedly intervened in similar programs and collected undocumented fees, stressing the need for strong safeguards as the initiative moves forward.

Meanwhile, authorities are investigating the case of a Filipino from Alcala, Pangasinan, who is now a prisoner of war in Ukraine after allegedly fighting for Russian forces.

According to a Ukrainian government video released, Raymon Santos Gumangan claimed he was recruited for a logistics job but was later assigned a combat role. He reportedly joined Russia’s 51st Parachute Regiment to receive a monthly salary of about 400,000 rubles, or roughly P307,000.

Philippine officials said Gumangan is not registered with the Department of Migrant Workers or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. Deployment to both Russia and Ukraine is prohibited, prompting authorities to probe possible illegal recruitment and coordinate efforts for his potential repatriation.