Press Release
February 12, 2020

Statement of Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on travel ban for OFWs to Taiwan

We call on the Department of Health to clarify the reason behind the inclusion of Taiwan in the travel ban.

With the restriction, thousands of Filipino travelers have been affected -- including an estimated 154,000 overseas Filipino workers who earn their living from Taiwan.

Is the ban due to the novel coronavirus? Are there health risks posed for Filipinos going to and coming from Taiwan?

Averting the spread of the virus and protecting the health of the Filipinos are the only justifiable reasons for the prohibition, not political considerations to China, which counts Taiwan as one of its Special Administrative Regions.

The administration's adherence to the so-called One China Policy should not be above the welfare of our OFWs in Taiwan who stand to lose their job and their only source of income.

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