Taichung: The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) held a Christmas event in Taipei on Sunday, attracting approximately 1,500 Filipinos residing in Taiwan as the holiday season approaches. MECO functions as the Philippines’ de facto embassy in Taiwan due to the absence of official diplomatic relations between the two countries.
According to Focus Taiwan, this festive gathering highlighted the importance of community and cultural connection for Filipinos abroad. Charles Jeremy Go, a digital marketer who has resided in Taiwan for five years, emphasized the significance of the holiday season for Filipinos to come together and reconnect with loved ones. “Spending Christmas here in Taiwan, personally, it’s really the same thing as in the Philippines,” he stated.
As reported by government data, over 190,000 Filipinos were living in Taiwan as of October, with the majority, around 170,000, employed in blue-collar roles such as caregiving and manufacturing. Mary Lyn Guerra, a manufacturing worker, expressed her enjoyment of the event, which included dancing, singing, and a lucky draw. Despite not being able to return home for Christmas, Guerra is looking forward to celebrating at her workplace’s party on Christmas Eve.
MECO Chairperson and Resident Representative Corazon Avecilla-Padiernos remarked that the event’s attendance demonstrated the strong ties and cooperation between the Philippines and Taiwan. She commended Filipinos in Taiwan for their contributions to Taiwanese society. Additionally, Ministry of Labor official Huang Wei-cheng acknowledged the contributions of Filipino workers, expressing hope that those unable to return home during the holidays would consider Taiwan a “second home.”