MORE than 120,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFW) are projected to benefit from the forthcoming wage hike in Taiwan, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).In a statement, DMW Secretary Susan Ople said a large majority of the 147,853 OFWs in Taiwan are expected to benefit from the wage order issued by the Ministry of Labor (MOL).”Of these, 121,756 are in the productive industry (factory workers), who are expected to benefit directly from the new wage structure,” said Ople.The DMW chief added that they expect more to benefit once newly hired OFWs are deployed by year-end.”The DMW projects another 20,000 OFWs in this job category to be hired by December this year,” said Ople.Under the wage order, Taiwan’s minimum monthly pay will go up by 4.55 percent, or from NT$ 25,250 (P46,860.40) to NT$ 26,400 (P48,994.70).Similarly, its hourly wage shall be increased by 4.76 percent, or from NT$168 (P311.78) to NT$176 (P326.63).“We welcome this development as this would greatly benefit our kababayans working in Taiwan, most especially those in the manufacturing sector,” Ople said.Taiwan’s latest wage order will take effect on January 1, 2023. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)