MANILA - MORE than 2,000 Filipino workers have lost their jobs in Taiwan because of the global financial crisis and the number could triple by the end of the first quarter next year, Philippine diplomats said on Tuesday.

Antonio Basilio, who acts as Manila's envoy in Taipei because the two countries have no official diplomatic ties, said 2,073 workers were dismissed from 49 factories since October.

'It's part of the global recession because the economy here is export-dependent,' Mr Basilio told The Associated Press by phone from Taipei.

Labour attache Rodolfo Sabulao said between 2,400 to 3,000 workers could be displaced by the end of the month, and another 3,000 could be dismissed by the first quarter of 2009 as the financial crisis continues to batter Taiwan's export sector.

Factories hit by layoffs were mostly electronics and textile companies that suffered from constriction in mainly US and European markets.

About two-thirds of an estimated 90,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan are employed in factories.

Mr Basilio said the situation is 'not as dire as some people have speculated,' citing continued hiring of Filipino workers as maids, caretakers, construction workers and service industry employees.

The two countries have agreed to allow direct-hiring of Filipino workers by accredited Taiwanese companies starting in January. This will relieve Filipino workers from paying exorbitant placement fees to job recruitment firms and monthly fees to Taiwanese employment brokers.

Nearly 10 per cent of the Philippines' 90 million people work overseas. The money they send home is equivalent to about 10 per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

Remittances last year totaled US$14.45 billion (S$21.2 billion), and the government projected 2008 remittances to hit $15.7 billion. -- AP