BUREAU of Immigration (BI) agents arrested on Tuesday 55 Chinese nationals believed to have been working without proper permits.
The Chinese nationals, who were nabbed in raids in Manila, Quezon City and Malabon through a tip by the BI's anonymous source, are allegedly working in construction sites and retail establishments illegally.
BI spokesperson Elaine Tan said Wednesday these raids are part of the bureau's ongoing campaign to curb the number of foreigners suspected of working in the Philippines without the necessary documents.
"All apprehended subjects are presently being investigated whether the initial information against them are true," said Tan, adding the arrested foreigners are currently at the bureau's holding center in Bicutan, Taguig City.
"If the foreign national fails to present any document to support his employment, he will be issued the necessary charge sheet and will eventually be deported," Tan said.
She said that the efforts to identify the "bad guys" among foreigners in the Philippines are a work in progress.
"Based on our records, the 'bad guys' only comprise one percent of the foreign national population in the country. However, as their numbers are very minimal, the chance of locating them at the point of entry is like finding a needle in a haystack," Tan said.
The BI is presently pushing for a law to allow the Advance Passenger Information System to provide identification of the "bad guys" before their aircraft lands in the Philippines.
It is also planning to coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to formulate measures in screening foreigners prior to issuance of entry visas to the Philippines.
Last week, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) asked the Senate and the House of Representatives to act on resolutions seeking to conduct an inquiry on the issue.
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago called for a hearing as early as December last year while TUCP party-list Representative Democrito Mendoza filed a similar resolution last February.
"There is indeed a clear, continuing and growing violation of our domestic laws. This undermines the job security in the country, as they compete with the already limited jobs generated for the Filipinos in our homeland," said TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.
He added that the presence of the illegal foreign workers has forced local job seekers to either seek employment abroad or just remain unemployed. (Sunnex) By Virgil B. Lopez
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Monday, August 18, 2014
TUCP sees gloom for power users
Every household in Luzon may have to pay P1,600 to P1,800 more per month for their electricity once the energy crisis kicks in next year, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) warned on Sunday.
If this projection holds true, the country’s residential electricity rates would be among the highest in the world, TUCP Executive Director Louie Corral said.
Corral lambasted Energy officials for their alleged lack of concrete and enforceable plans and strategies to avert a power crisis.
“We, and that means all of us, should know the merits and specifics of the recommended strategies, where the suggestions are coming from, and what the taxpayers and the consumers will end up paying for,” he said.
The TUCP and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) agree that there must be a comprehensive set of policies to combat the crisis while also working to bring power rates down.
Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla earlier admitted that a power crisis may be felt by March or May 2015, affecting 10.4 million households if the projected demand of 9,011 megawatts for next year is not met.
As a solution, Petilla is planning to rent expensive diesel-run power barges for two to three years.
The power barges will be run by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) for 20 days and whenever there will be yellow alert status.
“Under this scheme, the generation charges from these plants, excluding transmission and distribution charges, will easily hit P15 to P18 per kwh. This will dramatically drive up household rates,” explained Alan Tanjusay, TUCP spokesman.
Also proposed was the use of the Interruptible Load Program (ILP), which is being pushed by some business lobbies so that there is no longer any need to resort to emergency powers for President Benigno Aquino 3rd. ILP allows mall owners to run their generators to provide electricity to their stores.
“These groups are now lobbying to bring up the current cost of 66 centavos per kwh, which the ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission[ allows the ILP participating companies to charge to all Meralco customers for running their own generators rather than getting their power from Meralco. Talks are rife that they also want commercial rates in the neighborhood of P15 to P18 per kwh. We remind all that what we face is not just a supply problem but a cost problem. If we are not competitive in Asean we will lose out. Jobs will be lost and no new jobs will be created,” Tanjusay said.
Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
According to Tanjusay, higher electricity “will have a very painful effect on ordinary workers.”
“It will also have dire political consequences for the Aquino administration and derail the economic takeoff of the country,” he also warned. -by JING VILLAMENTE
If this projection holds true, the country’s residential electricity rates would be among the highest in the world, TUCP Executive Director Louie Corral said.
Corral lambasted Energy officials for their alleged lack of concrete and enforceable plans and strategies to avert a power crisis.
“We, and that means all of us, should know the merits and specifics of the recommended strategies, where the suggestions are coming from, and what the taxpayers and the consumers will end up paying for,” he said.
The TUCP and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) agree that there must be a comprehensive set of policies to combat the crisis while also working to bring power rates down.
Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla earlier admitted that a power crisis may be felt by March or May 2015, affecting 10.4 million households if the projected demand of 9,011 megawatts for next year is not met.
As a solution, Petilla is planning to rent expensive diesel-run power barges for two to three years.
The power barges will be run by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) for 20 days and whenever there will be yellow alert status.
“Under this scheme, the generation charges from these plants, excluding transmission and distribution charges, will easily hit P15 to P18 per kwh. This will dramatically drive up household rates,” explained Alan Tanjusay, TUCP spokesman.
Also proposed was the use of the Interruptible Load Program (ILP), which is being pushed by some business lobbies so that there is no longer any need to resort to emergency powers for President Benigno Aquino 3rd. ILP allows mall owners to run their generators to provide electricity to their stores.
“These groups are now lobbying to bring up the current cost of 66 centavos per kwh, which the ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission[ allows the ILP participating companies to charge to all Meralco customers for running their own generators rather than getting their power from Meralco. Talks are rife that they also want commercial rates in the neighborhood of P15 to P18 per kwh. We remind all that what we face is not just a supply problem but a cost problem. If we are not competitive in Asean we will lose out. Jobs will be lost and no new jobs will be created,” Tanjusay said.
Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
According to Tanjusay, higher electricity “will have a very painful effect on ordinary workers.”
“It will also have dire political consequences for the Aquino administration and derail the economic takeoff of the country,” he also warned. -by JING VILLAMENTE
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Labor group kay Abaya: Mag-sorry ka sa MRT passengers
Ni Ellaine Dorothy S. Cal at Jean Fernando / Balita.net.ph
Hinamon ng Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) si Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Secretary Emilio Abaya na humingi ng dispensa sa mga biktima nang bumangga sa barrier ang tren ng Metro Rail Transit (MRT) sa Pasay-Taft station.
“We condemn the irresponsible statements made by Transportation and Communication Secretary Abaya,’ pahayag ni Alan Tanjusay, tagapagsalita ng Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).
Tinukoy ni Tanjusay ang sinabi ni Abaya sa panayam sa radyo na hindi sapilitan ang pagsakay sa MRT.
“It is a personal decision. I won’t go out of my way to convince the people to ride. Kanya-kanyang desisyon naman ‘yan. Malayang bansa naman ito,” naging pahayag ni Abaya sa radio interview.
Itinuring ng TUCP ang pahayag ni Abaya na “iresponsable” kaugnay sa naganap na aksidente kung saan 36 pasahero ang nasugatan.
“What are you transportation and communication secretary for, Mr. Abaya? Such disrespect is an affront to thousands of working people who have no other choice but to ride in the MRT to and from work. Such statement is a slap-on-face of all the victims of the unfortunate mishap which happened days ago,” ayon kay Tanjusay.
Aniya, ipinahihiwatig umano ni Abaya na malayang makasasakay sa ibang pampublikong sasakyan ang mga biyehero kung nangangamba sila sa kanilang kaligtasan.
Itinuring ni Tanjusay ang iniasta ni Abaya bilang insulto sa daan libong nagsisiksikan sa MRT araw-araw.
“Mr. Secretary, did you or are you, as the man in charge of the mass transportation in the country and as a public servant, gave the public, the MRT riders a choice? Kung meron bang ibang matinong mass transport na nagawa mo na bilang DOTC secretary, palagay mo pipila pa ba sila at sasakay pa ba sila sa delikado, siksikan, mabaho at peligrosong MRT train?” tanong ni Tanjusay.
Samantala, posibleng maharap sa kasong kriminal ang control center supervisor ng MRT 3 matapos makapagbigay ng kani-kanilang salaysay ang dalawang train operator hinggil sa insidente.
Ayon kay Chief Supt. Angelito de Juan, hepe ng Pasay City Police-Investigation Unit, pinadalhan na nila ng liham si Joey Diokno, control center supervisor ng MRT 3, upang magbigay linaw sa trahedya.
“Halos parehas ang ibinigay na statement ng dalawang operators kung paano ang kanilang gagawin na itoy base sa kautusan ni Diokno bago maganap ang insidente,” pahayag ni De Juan.
Pahayag ni Abaya sa MRT riders kinondena ng TUCP
KINONDENA ng Trade Union Congress of the Philippines ( TUCP), pinakamalaking labor group sa bansa, ang pahayag ni Communication Secretary Emilio Abaya ukol sa mga biktima ng aksidente ng MRT.
“We condemn the irresponsible statements made by Transportation and Communication Secretary Abaya over an interview with Radyo Inquirer the other day. He said that “riding (MRT) is a personal decision. I won’t go out of my way to convince the people to ride. Kanya-kanyang desisyon naman ’yan. Malayang bansa naman ito,” sabi ni TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.
“What are you transportation and communication secretary for, Mr. Abaya? Such disrespect is an affront to thousands of working people who have no other choice but to ride in the MRT to and from work. Such statement is a slap-on-face of all the victims of the unfortunate mishap which happened days ago. In effect the secretary of transportation is telling the MRT victims: “Mag-sorry kayo sa sarili n’yo kung nabalian kayo o nalamog ka matapos tumilapon ang sinasakyan ninyong tren, malaya ka at choice mo yang sumakay ng MRT. Huwag mong sisihin ang gobyerno,” aniya.
Imbes na tiyakin ang kaligtasan, sinabi ni Tanjusay taliwas ang pahayag ni Abaya at nakaiinsulto sa libu-libong MRT rider na dahil sa wala silang mapagpipilian, kailangang pumila sila halos kilometrong pilahan at pagtiisan ang pulusyon upang makabili ng tiket para makarating sa kanilang paroroonan o pinapasukang trabaho.
“Mr. Secretary, did you or are you, as the man in charge of the mass transportation in the country and as a public servant, gave the public, the MRT riders a choice? Kung meron bang ibang matinong mass transport na nagawa mo na bilang DOTC secretary, palagay mo pipila pa ba sila at sasakay pa ba sila sa delikado, siksikan, mabaho at peligrosong MRT train? Obviously none. We, therefore, in behalf of the millions of riding Filipino public, demand that Mr. Abaya retract these statements and apologize in public,” Tanjusay said. - Jun Icban Legaspi/ Journal Online
“We condemn the irresponsible statements made by Transportation and Communication Secretary Abaya over an interview with Radyo Inquirer the other day. He said that “riding (MRT) is a personal decision. I won’t go out of my way to convince the people to ride. Kanya-kanyang desisyon naman ’yan. Malayang bansa naman ito,” sabi ni TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay.
“What are you transportation and communication secretary for, Mr. Abaya? Such disrespect is an affront to thousands of working people who have no other choice but to ride in the MRT to and from work. Such statement is a slap-on-face of all the victims of the unfortunate mishap which happened days ago. In effect the secretary of transportation is telling the MRT victims: “Mag-sorry kayo sa sarili n’yo kung nabalian kayo o nalamog ka matapos tumilapon ang sinasakyan ninyong tren, malaya ka at choice mo yang sumakay ng MRT. Huwag mong sisihin ang gobyerno,” aniya.
Imbes na tiyakin ang kaligtasan, sinabi ni Tanjusay taliwas ang pahayag ni Abaya at nakaiinsulto sa libu-libong MRT rider na dahil sa wala silang mapagpipilian, kailangang pumila sila halos kilometrong pilahan at pagtiisan ang pulusyon upang makabili ng tiket para makarating sa kanilang paroroonan o pinapasukang trabaho.
“Mr. Secretary, did you or are you, as the man in charge of the mass transportation in the country and as a public servant, gave the public, the MRT riders a choice? Kung meron bang ibang matinong mass transport na nagawa mo na bilang DOTC secretary, palagay mo pipila pa ba sila at sasakay pa ba sila sa delikado, siksikan, mabaho at peligrosong MRT train? Obviously none. We, therefore, in behalf of the millions of riding Filipino public, demand that Mr. Abaya retract these statements and apologize in public,” Tanjusay said. - Jun Icban Legaspi/ Journal Online
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