MECO exec: PHL-Taiwan row ‘close to solution’

The Philippines and Taiwan may be "close to a solution" over a row stemming from the deportation of 14 Taiwanese to Mainland China last month. Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) managing director Antonio Basilio made the claim even as some 100 Filipino workers staged a rally to protest their being made "scapegoats" in the ongoing row. "(Both sides are) close to a solution," Taiwan's Central News Agency on Sunday quoted Basilio as saying in an interview. Basilio did not elaborate, the CNA report said. The MECO is the Philippines' representative office in Taiwan in lieu of an embassy as the Philippines follows the One-China Policy. Under the One-China Policy, the Philippines maintains diplomatic ties with Beijing, which considers Taiwan a province, and economic ties with Taiwan. For his part, a visiting Philippine lawmaker assured Taiwan on Sunday that the Philippines is trying to resolve the rift soonest. Cavite Rep. Roy Loyola said the longstanding friendship between the Philippines and Taiwan should be valued despite the recent dispute. Loyola was with former President Fidel Ramos and a group of businessmen on a March 3-7 visit to Taiwan to explore business opportunities. "(I) respect the feelings of the Taiwanese government. And I'm thankful that some Taiwanese are supporting Filipino workers in Taiwan, " Loyola said, referring to a protest organized by local groups opposed to Taiwan's decision to freeze Filipino workers. The row between the Philippines and Taiwan stemmed from the Philippines' deportation of 14 Taiwanese to Mainland China last Feb. 2. In retaliation, Taiwan tightened requirements and procedures on Filipino workers seeking work there. Loyola's remarks echoed those of Ramos, who earlier said the incident should not be allowed to affect the friendly ties between the two parties. Earlier, President Benigno Aquino III sent former Senator Manuel Roxas II to Taiwan to explain the matter but refused to extend the apology Taiwan demanded. Still, Loyola said the Philippines had pledged to hold any government officials who mishandled the case accountable. Taiwan's anger over the incident is a "normal reaction" and understandable, Loyola said. He also said the Philippine Congress is conducting an investigation into the case, but added he was not in a position to disclose its progress. Taipei has said it will wait for the results of the investigation and follow-up measures before making its next move. Palace: FVR visit to Taiwan not government-sanctioned Malacañang on Sunday maintained it had nothing to do with Ramos’ visit to Taiwan, where he stressed the Philippines and Taiwan should be on friendly terms. Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office secretary Ramon Carandang insisted Ramos’ visit was a private one. “That was a private visit, the Palace had nothing to do with it," he said on government-run dzRB radio. Last Friday, Ramos stressed the need for the Philippines and Taiwan to enhance relations instead of letting their ties deteriorate over last month's deportation row. Ramos arrived in Taiwan Thursday for a five-day visit, and told reporters here that the deportation of 14 Taiwanese to Mainland China last February should not affect friendly ties between the two sides. He said the Philippines maintains close relations with Taiwan and other neighboring countries, while there are many Taiwanese running businesses in the Philippines and there are many Filipinos working in Taiwan. Also, he said the Philippines and Taiwan should work to upgrade bilateral ties and try to live harmoniously. Besides, he said the Philippines, Mainland China and Taiwan are all influenced by Confucian culture. If all three could cooperate, they could achieve prosperity, he said. "Don't make us scapegoats" Meanwhile, some 100 Filipinos working in Taiwan staged a protest in Taipei Sunday urging the government not to treat them as scapegoats in the ongoing row. Taiwan's Central News Agency reported the Filipinos said they are hard-working caregivers and workers whose rights to work in Taiwan should not be compromised and who should not be punished because of political issues "We did nothing wrong," and "Don't make us victims," read the placards the Filipino laborers from Taipei, Taoyuan and Hsinchu brought to Ketagalan Boulevard, in front of the Presidential Office. Wu Yong-yi, director of the Policy Research Program of the Taiwan International Workers' Association, which co-organized the protest, said the work rights of Filipino migrants have been seriously compromised by the rift. Wu said as many as 8,000 workers may have been directly affected, including 5,000 applicants waiting to take up employment in Taiwan and 3,000 Filipino workers whose visas will expire in early March. According to Wu, the tightening of the screening measures proposed by the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) includes requiring Filipino applicants to submit a "Social Security System ID card," an outdated document that the Philippine government stopped issuing in April last year. This means the COA has already effectively implemented a freeze on Filipino workers. About 77,000 Filipinos are currently working in Taiwan, accounting for 20 percent of the total number of foreign workers in the country. Most of them are employed in the manufacturing sector. Taiwan 'welcomes' DOJ finding on deportation Taiwan welcomed over the weekend a preliminary investigation by the Philippine Justice Department that questioned the legality of deporting 14 Taiwanese to Mainland China last month. Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy spokesman Stev Shia said the finding was "as expected," according to a report on Taipei Times. "We have already pointed out long ago the mistakes (the Philippine authorities) made in the case," he said, but added the ministry is still waiting for a formal investigation and an apology for the deportation, the report added. In December, the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested the 14 Taiwanese along with 10 Chinese in Makati and Muntinlupa cities. Philippine prosecutors had recommended the dismissal of the criminal case against the 24 foreigners filed by the NBI and the Chinese Embassy. The deportation was based on a request from Beijing which had issued arrest warrants against the 24 in connection with $20-million online fraud cases, according to Philippine Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. - KBK, GMA News