With ASEAN integration come social cost and disruption, labor group warns

THE COUNTRY’S biggest labor coalition warns of a disruption among workers with the realization of the planned economic integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In a statement on Sunday, the Nagkaisa group of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said regional integration of which programs are under way could lead to low-quality jobs as well as a surge in unemployment.

“The integration will further stimulate jobless growth, race to the bottom phenomenon and promote other forms of precarious work conditions including lowered standard in occupational safety and health particularly if labor laws enforcement is weak and regulatory institutions are irrelevant,” TUCP-Nagkaisa Spokesperson Alan T. Tanjusay said.

The group referred to jobless growth as economic growth marred by unemployment, underemployment and poverty, and to the bottom phenomenon as competition among companies in cutting wages and workers’ living standards.

The TUCP said that, with regional integration, employers will have more leeway to pursue leaner operations, outsource jobs across borders, and relocate production to locations with the most affordable labor.

But Mr. Tanjusay for his part also said: “... [W]e can expect a wider job market for Filipino workers who are highly sought after because of their reputation for excellent craftsmanship. Thus, we see a rise in remittances and the spike of job-creating allied services which are additional perk to the economy.”

The group called for a review of the country’s Alien Employment Permit, issued by the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Work Visa and the Special Work Permit (SWP) issued by the Bureau of Immigration.

“Because of these double functions and lack of coordination between these two agencies, work permits are rife with graft and corruption resulting [in] lack of protection for foreign workers working in the country,” the group said. The group also urged the government to organize a single oversight body to grant, supervise and manage these permits. - By Alden M. Monzon, Reporter BusinessWorld Online

TUCP airs alien employment concerns

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) said it is now monitoring the possible arrival of illegal migrants, who may be victims of human trafficking, with the start of the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) last month.

ASEAN stands for Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“So far, we have not monitored any (surge in the number of foreign workers)… we will just continue our monitoring,” TUCP official Gerard Seno told reporters in an interview.

The country’s largest labor group expressed this concern after it reported in 2013 the some 3,000 foreigners without the necessary alien employment permit (AEP) to be working in construction sites in Bataan and Batangas.

The incident was immediately addressed by the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Earlier, DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) Director Dominique Tutay allayed fears the AEC will pave the way for the mass entry of migrant workers in local industries. - by Samuel Medenilla / Manila Bulletin

Illegal foreign workers on the rise in Phl – TUCP

MANILA, Philippines - More foreigners are entering the country to illegally seek employment, according to the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

TUCP spokesman Alan Tanjusay said the number of illegal foreign workers in the country has been increasing in the past years.

“The influx of migrant workers is a growing phenomenon in the country today,” he said.

TUCP estimates that over 3,500 foreigners are working in the country illegally.

The figure is expected to increase unless the government takes the necessary measures to control the entry of illegal foreign workers, he added.

Tanjusay said the bulk of undocumented foreign workers are Chinese nationals and others are South Koreans, Japanese, Indonesians, Malaysians and Vietnamese.

Undocumented foreign workers are often employed in the construction, manufacturing, electronics and services industries in Metro Manila, Central Visayas, Davao region, Zamboanga peninsula, Bataan and Batangas, he added.

The increasing number of migrants working without government permits and without fulfilling other requirements for alien workers has very serious implications in the current employment and underemployment situation, Tanjusay said.

Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said only legal foreign workers pass through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The entry of undocumented foreign workers is a concern of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), she added.

TUCP is pushing for the creation of a tripartite committee comprised of representatives from DOLE, BI and other concerned government agencies to stop the influx of illegal migrant workers in the country.

Tanjusay said the proposed committee is to ensure migrant workers go through the legal process and comply with the requirements of the Alien Employment Permit (AEP).

“The number of illegal migrants is growing very fast that it immediately needs government oversight to ensure that labor laws and standards are in place and are working to make sure there are no abuses and exploitations taking place,” he said. - By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)