Labor group says Chinese allowed in PHL but jobs must be kept for Pinoys

Manila Times photo

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Monday clarified that it is not against the entry of foreign workers in the Philippines. However, the group insisted that jobs must be kept for Filipinos.

“Our laws and regulations policies are clear: All jobs including skills and professions must be given to Filipino workers and professionals," TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said in a press release.

"However, if there are specialization and skills unavailable in the labor market, these should be given to foreign workers who must apply for Alien Employment Permit (AEP) from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and work permits from the Bureau of Immigration (BI)," Mendoza added.

On Saturday, President Rodrigo Duterte remarked that he cannot simply drive away the Chinese nationals working in the Philippines because he is thinking of the welfare of the Filipinos working in China who may be massively laid off as a consequence.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, for his part, said Chinese nationals who hold working permits in the country are just filling vacancies for jobs that Filipinos cannot or would not do.

The TUCP, meanwhile, lamented that there is no coordination between the DOLE and BI as regards issuing work permits to foreigners, noting that allowing foreign workers to work here should be done with routine coordination and monitoring and must be free from corruption.

Mendoza claimed that the labor market test method, which DOLE uses before it issues work permit, was "flawed."

“Nobody is contesting the labor market test because nobody is aware that there is such a publication. No one is filing a complaint against the applicant because no one is even aware of such notice,” Mendoza said.

"There has to be an immediate serious reforms and improved implementation of work permit policy applied to foreigners," he added.

Mendoza also urged foreigners who wish to work in the Philippines "to legalize their stay, abide with laws and regulations and respect our culture and traditions."

"They should legalize their stay so that they will be protected by our laws from abusive and exploitative working conditions,” Mendoza said. "Foreign nationals must go through the due process legally mandated by the laws."

Meanwhile, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Monday urged the sacking and the filing of charges against DOLE and BI officials for allegedly allowing the illegal entry of around 400,000 Chinese workers.

"Fire DOLE and BI appointees and officials who allowed the entry of 400,000 Chinese illegals. File criminal cases against them," Pangilinan said in a press statement. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KG, GMA News