Hundreds of Taiwanese and Filipinos yesterday enjoyed musical performances at the “Friendly Taiwan” event, which was initiated by several celebrities to demonstrate the nation’s friendship and appreciation for Filipino workers.
With many Taiwanese expressing negative feelings toward the Philippines and Philippine nationals in Taiwan following the fatal shooting of Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng (洪石城) by Philippine Coast Guard personnel earlier this month, several celebrities, including Cloud Gate Dance Theatre founder Lin Hwai-min (林懷民), Alliance Cultural Foundation chairman and renowned business leader Stanley Yen (嚴長壽), and writer Giddens Ko (柯景騰) — also known by his pseudonym Jiubadao (九把刀) — organized the event in Taipei yesterday, which featured a number of local musicians.
“The purpose of this event is simple: Let’s render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” Yen said, while standing in front of a large banner that read “Thanks for your contributions.”
Photo: Mandy Cheng, AFP
“Our friends from the Philippines have long helped us out in the family or in the workplace,” he said.
“Taiwan is a diverse society and when Filipinos come to Taiwan to give us a hand, we also learn from them. When our young people go to work in China or in other countries, we would also want them to be safe and to be treated by the locals as their own people,” he added.
Yang Chao (楊照), a writer, said that hateful words not only harm others, “they also harm our consciousness and our friendliness.”
Photo: Mandy Cheng, AFP
Filipino worker Reina Nava, who took part in the event, said that she enjoyed it.
“I feel very well, it’s so nice to see so many Taiwanese extending their friendliness to us,” she said.
Lea Paray, another Filipino worker who has been working in Taiwan for 12 years, said that she enjoys working and staying in Taiwan.
“The pay is good, the people are nice and polite, I really like it,” she said. “Although some problems happened, I never feel worried because everything has been fine as always.”
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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