MANILA, Philippines -  Fewer Filipinos are leaving the country as “illegal” workers.

Data from the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) showed a declining number of undocumented Filipinos abroad in the past decade.

From a total of 1,840,448 in 2000, the number of irregular Filipino workers worldwide dropped by more than half or 61 percent to 704,916.

Dumarami umano ang bilang ng undocumented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) sa China, ayon sa Filipino migrants’ rights group na Migrante-Middle East (M-ME).

Inihayag ni M-ME regional coordinator John Leo­nard Monterona na simula pa noong 4th quarter ng nakalipas na taon hanggang ngayon ay nakakatanggap ang kanilang grupo ng hirit na tulong mula sa mga undocumented OFWs sa China sa gitna ng ginagawang crackdown ng Chinese authorities sa mga overstayers at undocumented workers.

TAIPEI—A Taiwanese official suspended from her post on Friday apologized for hurting Taiwan’s image after she was deported by the United States over a maid abuse case.

“I regret and apologize that the incident caused the outside world to have a negative impression of (Taiwan’s) government and foreign ministry,” said Liu Hsien-hsien, ex-director of Taiwan’s mission in Kansas City, Missouri.