But Malacañang said Roxas was not sent by President Benigno S. Aquino III to Taiwan to apologize, but rather to explain the government's position on the deportation incident as well as request Taiwan to relax its rules on the entry of interested Filipino workers.

“The more important parameter or instruction of the President is about the concerns of overseas Filipino workers. We know that the Taiwan government has tightened its rules. That’s one of our concerns. We hope they will relax its stringent rules towards Filipino workers," he said, citing the presence of around 70,000 hardworking Filipino workers in Taiwan.

Lacierda said there was no need for the Philippine government to apologize over the deportation since due process was followed. He said the fraud suspects claimed they were Taiwanese but failed to present their identification cards to immigration authorities. “That’s the reason why they were repatriated to China,” Lacierda said.

Roxas, the unsuccessful running mate of Aquino in the last May polls, left for Taiwan yesterday after he designated as the President’s private emissary to Taiwan in a bid to mend strained ties with the Asian neighbor.

“He is the chief troubleshooter of the President. He has the full trust and confidence of the President. We believe Senator Mar Roxas can easily convey the concerns of the President to the Taiwan government,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing at the Palace.

Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) Chairman Amadeo Perez will welcome Roxas in Taipei and broker the meeting between Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Chin-Tien Yang and Labor Affairs Minister Wang Ju-hsuan.

“The government is resolute in its stand that the deportation of the Chinese and Taiwanese nationals to China was done in the spirit of the common desire of all countries in the region to put an end to transnational crimes it says that it should not be interpreted as an unfriendly act against its friend,” Roxas said.

”I hope the Taiwanese and their government will understand the circumstances. We have to solve the problem for the sake of 90,000 Filipinos working there,” Roxas said in Filipino.
Roxas said that the row between Manila and Taipei has to be threshed out at the soonest possible time so as not to affect adversely the status of the 90,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan, as well as trade relations.

“The welfare of these workers is paramount in seeking avenues for the immediate normalization of relations with Taiwan,” Roxas said.
Roxas explained that 70 percent of the 90,000 OFWs in Taiwan form part of the industrial labor force that fuels its economy. Roxas added the OFWs in Taiwan support about 500,000 family members in the Philippines.

The former trade secretary added that Taiwan is also the 5th biggest trading partner of the Philippines, making it imperative to mend our relations.

He added that issuance of visas of some 5,000 Filipino workers has been delayed as a result of the controversy and many other bilateral arrangements may be affected if the friendly relation is not restored.

OFWs feel the heat
OFWs in Taiwan are taking all the heat of the current Taiwan-Philippines rift.

A domestic worker in Taipei, who requested anonymity, expressed frustration over the situation. “Minsan nilalait na ang mga Pilipino ng mga Taiwanese dito,” says the mother of one. (“Sometimes Taiwanese people taunt Filipinos here.”)

The OFW, who supports her two-year-old-son and her family, says that Filipinos working in Taiwan are already feeling the heat because of the Taiwan-Philippines brouhaha. Although the taunting may not be a big deal, still they are still taking all the heat that the government is not seeing.

However, despite feeling a little uneasy and embarrassed by the situation, they feel no pressure from their jobs at all. She says that so far, the other OFWs she knows in Taipei still have their jobs and just shrugging off the taunting and doing work as usual.

Anjo Perez & Genalyn kabiling, Manila Bulletin