MANILA, Philippines — With the Chinese ambassadors statements last week raising concerns for migrant Filipino workers, the foreign affairs department assured the public that it already has plans in place to keep Filipinos working in Taiwan safe.

There are more than 158,000 Overseas Filipino Workers in the self-governing island. Under the One China policy, the Philippines has formal relations with the Peoples Republic of China and informal economic and cultural ties with Taiwan.

"We assure the public that contingency plans are in place in all places where there are high numbers of OFWs," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Monday evening.

Manila has instructed labor attachés to always be visible to the OFW community in Taiwan.

The Department of Foreign Affairs issued the statement after Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian warned the Philippines against expanding US military access to Philippine facilities.