A TECHNICAL working group (TWG) composed of representatives from the Department of Justice (DoJ), Bureau of Immigration (BI), and Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) will be formed to address the influx of foreign workers in the country.
DoJ Undersecretary and spokesperson Markk L. Perete said Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III requested the creation of a TWG.
“Officers from DoLE, DoJ, and BI will form the TWG and are set to meet this January,” Mr. Perete told the BusinessWorld in a text message last Dec. 29.
“As to the meeting, there is no specific date yet. But once the three offices are able to confirm who to designate as their representatives to the TWG, the TWG itself will be able to schedule and call meetings,” he added.
Mr. Bello made an earlier pronouncement that the DoLE is considering revoking the authority of the BI, an agency under the DoJ, to issue working permits to foreign nationals.
Mr. Perete also said that the internal TWG will study the joint guidelines and submit its recommendations to the inter-agency task force initiated by the DoLE last Nov. 15.
The task force, which “will conduct inspection and come up with joint guidelines in regulating the employment of foreign nationals in the country,” includes members from the DoJ, BI, DoLE, Department of Foreign Affairs, Professional Regulation Commission, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources, among others.
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra, for his part, said while he has not yet discussed the matter directly with Mr. Bello, the DoJ intends to “work very closely” with DoLE to address the issue.
He also said that there are other options that may be considered other than taking away the authority of the BI to issue working permits.
“(T)here are other options… such as tightening the rules on issuance of SWPs, BI personnel movements, and improved intelligence/technology to closely monitor aliens working in our country,” Mr. Guevarra said in a text message.
The DoLE, in 2005, authorized the BI to issue special working permits (SWP) to foreigners covering a six-month period. The DoLE issues an alien employment permit (AEP) to foreigners staying beyond six months.
An AEP is issued only if there are no Filipinos competent or able to do the job being sought by a foreigner.
During a Senate committee inquiry last Nov. 26, DoLE said the BI issued SWPs to 119,840 foreigners from 2015 to 2017, mostly Chinese who work for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.
DoLE, meanwhile, issued 115,652 AEPs from 2015 to 2017, of which 51,980 were given to Chinese nationals. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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