TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Labor (MOL) on Wednesday (May 4) called on Taiwan  employers to let their Filipino employees vote in the upcoming Philippine presidential election.

The MOL's Workforce Development Agency (WDA) issued a statement urging employers to allow Filipino workers to vote in the election, which is slated for May 9, the last day absentee ballots can be cast. It suggested employers adjust their shifts or assist the workers in taking regular paid leave to cast their votes at branches of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung.

According to the MOL, as of March, there were 139,619 Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan, mostly employed in manufacturing and as caregivers. Of these, 72,779 are registered as overseas voters, according to the Philippines' Commission on Elections.

The MOL has also formulated epidemic prevention guidelines that workers should adhere to when venturing out. It stressed that companies cannot refuse to allow employees to go out simply because of the pandemic.

The ministry recommended that workers take measures to protect themselves from the virus. These include getting vaccinated as soon as possible and downloading the Taiwan Social Distancing app.

When going out to vote, migrant workers are advised to wear a mask and maintain a social distance to reduce the risk of infection. After they complete their voting and return to their place of employment, employers are requested to monitor the health of their workers and assist them in joining the LINE account "Line@移點通" to receive the latest epidemic prevention information.