TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) Chairman Silvestre Bello III visited I-Mei’s food production factory in Longtan, Taoyuan on Monday (March 25).
On behalf of MECO, the Philippine representative thanked I-Mei for providing Filipino workers with stable jobs and safe accommodation in Taiwan. He was especially pleased to learn that I-Mei has been recruiting workers from his hometown, Isabela Province, which is about 470 kilometers from Manila International Airport.
Besides Bello, the Philippine delegation included MECO Vice Chairman Renato Ebarle, MECO Deputy Resident Representative Alice Visperas, MECO Migrant Workers Office Director Cesar Chavez Jr., MECO Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Deputy Director Roselynn Vibar, and other staff from MECO.
Philippine delegation touring I-Mei factory. (Taiwan News photo)
The delegation observed the factory’s different installations, such as oil production lines, freeze-drying machines, ice storage systems, shelf-life preservation processes, and drone testing sites. They came to understand the living and working situation of Filipino workers in Taiwan, and Bello praised I-Mei’s emphasis on worker safety and well-being.
When it comes to the treatment of migrant workers, Bello said he heard no complaints of mistreatment and that the workers have been happy to reside in Taiwan. Representatives from the delegation also noted that I-Mei’s recruitment process has helped Filipino workers avoid paying large amounts of money to employment agencies to work in Taiwan.
Philippine delegation touring I-Mei factory. (Taiwan News photo)
At the end of the factory tour, the delegation was welcomed by a cafeteria full of migrant workers, who cheerfully shook hands and greeted the representatives. The representatives got to walk around the room and personally interact with the workers before addressing them on stage.
In honor of International Women’s Day, the Philippines representative handed out flowers to the female factory workers on stage. The male workers then joined them for a group picture.
Factory workers pose with Philippine delegation and I-Mei staff. (Taiwan News photo)
I-Mei has hired nearly 10,000 workers from the Philippines since 1993. Around 53 have been promoted to higher-ranking jobs, and they have become an integral part of I-Mei’s workforce and the company’s success.
I-Mei has developed a strong relationship with government agencies in the Philippines. In recent years, the company has recruited workers directly from their hometowns through recruitment drives. It has also worked to provide migrant workers with better pay and assist them with applying for permanent residency.
*I-Mei is the parent company of Taiwan News.