Taiwan to review hiring ban

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday welcomed reports that Taiwan would reconsider its earlier decision to ban for three months the hiring of Filipino workers. The ban was supposed to be enforced today.

Rodolfo Reyes, newly appointed director of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), reported that Taiwan's new leadership has expressed its intention to review the three-month hiring ban.

Reyes, who is in the country to attend negotiations for the air transportation dispute between the two countries, expressed optimism that the review would turn out in favor of the Philippine government.

Reynaldo Regalado, chief of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), shared Reyes' optimism.

"We are as optimistic as (Reyes) is," he said.

Taiwan's Council of Labor Affairs imposed the three-month ban on the hiring Filipino workers reportedly because of the intervention of Philippine labor officials in the dispute involving Taiwanese employers and Filipino workers.

The ban was supposed to affect the construction and manufacturing sectors.