Taiwan has approved a consolation, compensation and donation totaling approximately P3.8 million to the grieving family of overseas Filipino worker Melody Albano Castro.
In addition to the consolation and compensation of P3.2 million, another additional donation in the amount of P600,000 collected by the Taiwanese community in the Philippines has been handed to the bereaved family of the overseas Filipino worker, Melody Albano Castro on Tuesday, at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines. The additional donation symbolized Taiwanese’s compassion, care and love towards the OFWs in Taiwan.
Castro was one of the victims in the recent Hualien earthquake in Taiwan during February 2018.
Based on the relevant regulations towards the foreign workers and residents in Taiwan, an amount of P3.2 million was pooled from the Taiwan government funds, insurance claims and Taiwanese donation as consolation, compensation and compassion for the grieving family of Castro.
The Meco has designated an official to handle the processing of relevant procedures of the allocation of fundings. On top of the said P3.2 million, another donation of P600,000 has been made by the Taiwanese community, thus the total fundings amount to P3.8 million.
The donation ceremony was hosted by TECO Representative Dr. Gary Song-Huann Lin, together with the representatives from Taiwan Association Inc. in the PH as well as Taiwan Chamber of Commerce & Industry in the PH, Inc. to express their deepest condolence, compassion, sympathy and support to Castro’s next of kin, especially her 8-year-old daughter Given Grace and her paralyzed husband who was injured in a traffic accident.
Also in attendance were Rep. Rose Marie “Baby” Arenas, Chairperson of Interparliamentary Relations and Diplomacy, and Hon. Gilberto F. Lauengco, Vice Chairman of MECO, Officials from DOLE, OWWA and POEA to witness the ceremony and express their gratitude to the Taiwanese government and its people.
TECO Representative Gary Lin extended his sincere sympathy and condolence to Castro’s family, and reiterated that Taiwan is doing its utmost to treat foreign workers in Taiwan as their own brothers and sisters, and to provide a better and friendlier working and living conditions for the foreign workers.
To facilitate the visitation of the OFWs, Taiwan now even allows the OFWs’ families to visit their beloved ones through the implementation of visa free policy since November last year.
Moreover, Rep. Lin also pointed out that as the Holy Week approaches, it is time for us to reflect on the importance of love and compassion in an uncertain world of violence, intimidation and major powers’ rivalry. What mankind need is actually faith, hope and love.
There are currently about 150,000 OFWs in Taiwan, and majority of them are in manufacturing (116,474 ), and the rest are caregivers in households and institutions (31,439).
Castro started to work in Taiwan as a caregiver in 2015. She was protected by Taiwan’s national health insurance and the Act for Protecting Workers of Occupational Accidents
Castro’s case showed a cordial working relation and efficient coordination in regard to the labor issues existing between the Taiwan Government and the Philippine relevant authorities.