TUCP urges Congress to probe rising number of illegal foreign workers in PH

MANILA, Phlippines -- A labor group on Wednesday urged Congress to look into what it called the increasing number of foreigners working in the country without working permits.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines’ call came following the of 52 more foreign workers allegedly working without valid permits in Davao City last week.

“The increasing incidence of migrants working in the country without necessary government working permits and without fulfilling other requirements for alien workers has very serious adverse implications not only in the local construction industry, fishing, mining and other industries, but also in the current employment and underemployment situation in the country," TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said in a statement.

The Bureau of Immigration in Davao rounded up 50 Chinese, one British and one Australian working on the construction of the coal-fired power plant of Therma South Inc., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Power Corporation.

TUCP also called for the investigation into how Aboitiz Power hired the foreigners despite the lack of work permits.

In December last year, the BI detained and deported more than 200 foreign workers working without permits at construction sites in Bataan and Batangas provinces.

While stressing that the TUCP is not against foreign workers in the country, Tanjusay said those without valid permits are vulnerable to abuse.

“They are susceptible to being abused for reasons such as their lack of capacity to speak and understand the Filipino language and other exploitative working conditions such as unjust compensation given to them. They should enjoy the freedom from this worst form of modern-day slavery,” he said.

Senator Miriam-Defensor Santiago and TUCP party-list Representative Raymond Mendoza have filed resolutions for inquiries into the matter.

Department Order No. 12 (Series of 2001) known as the Omnibus Guidelines for the Issuance of Employment Permits of the Department of Labor and Employment requires all foreigners seeking employment to apply for an Alien Employment Permit. - By: Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, InterAksyon.com