THE remains of four Filipino workers who perished in a fire that hit a food factory in Taiwan last month were finally brought home early yesterday morning.
The remains of Renato Larua of Cavite, Nancy Revilla of Marinduque, Aroma Miranda of Tarlac and Maricris Fernando of La Union were brought home by officials of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and were met by their respective families at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
It was reportedly Fernando’s first day working for Lian Hwa Foods Corporation’s factory on Sihai Road in Taiwan’s Changhua County when the fire broke out.
She was initially revived in a hospital but her condition deteriorated after a few days of confinement.
The fire trapped 22 of the company’s workers, including the Filipinos.
Four other Filipinos — Shiela May Abas, Jessie Boy Samson, Rodel Uttao and Santiago Suba Jr. — were injured in the fire but have since been declared in good condition.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration said the family of the deceased will receive NT$100, 000, equivalent to $3,283 each in compensation, while the county government will shell out NT$30,000 to their families and NT$20,000 to the injured.
MECO chair Silvestre Bello III said aside from the benefits from their employer, the victims are also entitled to P200,000 in death benefits from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, P20,000 burial benefits, as well as education and livelihood assistance and training for members of their families and insurance.
Around 200,000 Filipinos are living and working in Taiwan.
