The Council of Labor Affairs' decision to freeze approvals for new Filipino workers is frankly shocking, on multiple levels.
First, the CLA's explanation indicates that it considers foreign workers not as human beings with rights, but simply as economic inputs. Filipinos are being singled out simply because the Philippine government tries to take care of its citizens, instead of abandoning them like certain less democratic governments. This is described by the CLA as being "unreasonably involved in our domestic affairs." To drive the point home, the CLA has been eagerly promoting Vietnamese workers as substitutes.
The CLA is also continuing its protection of the notorious labor brokers, both in Taiwan and in the labor-exporting countries, whose business model consists primarily of exploitative practices. One of the chief "sins" of the Philippine government has been to try to break the brokers' stranglehold by allowing -- heaven forbid -- employers and workers to choose each other directly.
Second, the move is economically daft. Filipino workers are sought after because of their skills and qualifications -- including not only fluency in English, but also higher education and relevant training. Thus Filipinos naturally comprise the lion's share of skilled foreign factory workers, for example in the electronics sector, whereas other foreign workers are often relegated to more menial tasks such as construction. Now the CLA is going to exacerbate the shortages in that critical segment of the labor market. As for the suggestion that the ban could be extended to other sectors, such as domestic workers, it is downright laughable.
Third, the decision is diplomatically inept. We have just gone through several months of turbulence in the Taiwan-Philippines bilateral relationship, which by any rational measure ought to be one of natural alliance: two of Asia's most democratic countries, both of which are militarily threatened by China. The blame can be spread widely. Manila has handled the air rights dispute poorly, apparently to try to protect its inefficient flag carrier. On our side, the KMT's election campaign repeatedly offended many in the Philippines by holding their country up as an example of how not to select leaders. And through it all the temperature has been steadily rising in the tussle over the mechanisms for hiring workers and handling related problems.
Now, a new representative from Manila has just arrived, and only this Monday he was making diplomatic comments in the hopes of resolving the air dispute and getting the relationship back on track. The CLA's decision to take this step at this time thus represents a direct slap in his face.
Finally, the timing is extremely suspect for another reason -- it is almost guaranteed to cause embarrassment for the incoming government. In addition to complicating any fresh approach to solving the diplomatic row, it also interferes with any attempt to reformulate the policy of foreign workers in general. Although both CLA Chairperson-designate Chen Chu
Now Chairperson Chen is presented with an un-called for hot potato. She will have to waste a significant amount of political capital in order to do the right thing and reverse the decision. In fact, if the CLA were deliberately trying to harm the new government, it is hard to see how it could have done so more effectively.
It is precisely to avoid this kind of trouble that an incumbent cabinet in a transition situation ought to refrain from making any major new policy changes. The violation of this principle by the CLA is regrettable indeed.
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