Fun fact: Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are considered a huge source of income for the Philippines. According to government data, OFW remittances account for 8.9% of Gross Domestic Product.
Hence, thousands of OFWs based in Taiwan and Hong Kong are set to receive a pay hike next year due to a new wage order, according to the Department of Migrant Workers.
The salary increase will be effective starting January 1, 2o24 which shall apply to certain professions following the labor departments of Taiwan and Hong Kong that both have each agreed to raise their monthly minimum wages.
These professions shall include factory workers in Taiwan and household service workers or domestic workers in Hong Kong.
According to DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Cacdac, the new wage order covered a 4.05% increase in the monthly minimum salary of factory workers from NT$ (New Taiwan Dollar) 26,400 (P46,378.70) to NT$27,470 (P48,223.43).
Under the new wage order, the minimum hourly wage from NT$176 (P312.80) was also raised to NT$183 (P321.48).
Statistics say that there are approximately 150,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan, large portion of whom are working in the manufacturing sector.
According to DMW's projection, another 17,721 workers in the abovemenetioned category will be deployed by the end of the year.
On the other hand, the Hong Kong Labor Department also approved a new wage order intended for OFWs working as household service workers or domestic workers whose employment contracts were signed on or after September 30, 2023.
According to the new wage, the minimum allowable wage for OFW domestic workers in Hong Kong from HK$4,730 (P36,917.65) will be raised to HK$4,870 (P38,010.35).
There will also be an increase in the allowable food allowance for OFW domestic workers from the previous rate of HK$1,196 (P9,334.78.) to HK$1,236 (9,649.98).
Data say that there are 196,364 OFWs who work as HSWs or FDHs in the Chinese Special Administrative Region and some 40,000 HSWs representing new hires and those with renewed contracts.
Moreover, an estimated 205,000 Filipino HSWs in Hong Kong are expected to be deployed by January 2024.
Meanwhile, Cacdac has expressed gratitude to the partaking countries and said that “enacting wage legislation that recognizes the work of our OFWs and their contribution to the economic development of their host countries.”
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