"Indonesians, Vietnamese, Sri Lankans, Pakistanis, these countries' workers are willing to work for less than us. China is also preparing its caregivers with all kinds of skills," says Father Romeo Velos, of St Christopher's Church.
This has caused a reduction in the number of Filipinos and a hollowing out of Little Manila. Four years ago the area was a lot busier, says cargo company owner Raymond Rodriguez (李偉郵). He wistfully recalls that it used to be so crowded on Sundays in the Won Won Department Store, where he has his business, people couldn't move.
If the CLA has its way this situation will continue as fresh policies to implement the "consensus about gradually decreasing foreign care workers" are implemented.
"The only thing we Filipinos can do is upgrade our skills by enrolling on courses. Then maybe go to Canada or elsewhere. We must think of Taiwan as a stepping stone," Velos says.
There are positive aspects to the Asian foreign worker experience here. Filipina caregiver Lynda says wages (NT$17,000 per month) compare favorably with Singapore (about NT$10,000 after deductions). Also, the Taipei city and national governments have improved conditions with new laws to prevent abuse and make workers welcome, for instance, by celebrating Christian, Moslem and Thai holidays.
Even so, Velos says "these beautiful laws and policies are not always implemented" and he is pessimistic about the future of Little Manila, or Little Jakarta, because the government is determined to reduce the number of foreign workers and resist Asian immigration.
Manila Economic and Cultural Office labor representative Reynaldo Gopez notes that some of the oldest Chinatowns in the world are in Manila, Bangkok and Indonesia. At the same time as Taiwan began importing foreign labor in the 1980s local emigrants were settling in the US, particularly Monterey Park in California, which became known as "Little Taipei." Here, expatriates shop for their favorite foods from home, buy Mando-pop albums and pearl milk tea from businesses set up by Taiwanese.
"We are talking about reciprocity. Well, it is a beautiful idea. Zhongshan North Road is like Little Manila, but the reality is that it would be difficult to organize development with the laws as they are since people need rights to set up businesses. I would say that is not possible now because most workers have curfews and the only time they have off is a Sunday. But of course, we would like it to happen and we are all working for that," Gopez says.
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