Press Release
April 29, 2020

Drilon urges DOLE to recall labor attaché in Taiwan

Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon, a former Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) secretary, asked Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III on Wednesday to immediately recall the labor attaché in Taiwan, Fidel Macauyag, saying that the labor attaché has revealed himself to be "unfit, incompetent and totally unqualified" to promote and protect the welfare of thousands of overseas Filipino workers in Taiwan.

"Mr. Macauyag's irresponsible act toward a helpless overseas Filipino worker is clearly an abandonment of his sworn duties to protect the welfare of OFWs," said Drilon.

The minority leader said he would file a resolution to investigate the matter with the end view of strengthening the protection of millions of OFWs.

"A mere labor attaché requesting a sovereign country to deport a foreign worker over a social media post is stupidity at the highest level," Drilon stressed.

"His mandate is to promote the welfare of our OFWs. He has shown the highest level of ignorance. Worse, his action embarrassed the Philippine government," he underscored.

The former labor secretary said that Macauyag clearly and undeniably failed to fulfill his core responsibility by prosecuting a Filipina worker instead of protecting her.

"When a protector becomes the persecutor, you can't help but ask: is this the new normal?" said Drilon.

Drilon said labor attache and all those behind the move to deport the Filipino worker should face the consequences of their action.

"I am saddened by what is happening with the officials tasked to protect our people. How come that they have gone astray this far?" Drilon said.

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