Senate panel to probe influx of illegal Chinese workers in PH

The Senate Committee on Labor will begin its investigation next week on the inpouring of illegal Chinese workers into the country, Senator Joel Villanueva said Friday.

Villanueva, who chairs the panel, announced this following Thursday’s arrest of 11 Filipinos and 93 Chinese nationals in a Pasig City raid for their alleged involvement in illegal online gambling.

“The review of our laws, the enforcement system and the coordination of agencies involved when it comes to regulating the influx of foreign workers in our country have become very urgent,” he said in a statement.

Villanueva said the problem on the presence of illegal Chinese workers has not been addressed despite calls on concerned agencies.

“These issues along with other current problems affecting our workers will be the subject of our Committee on Labor inquiry next week,” the senator noted.

According to Villanueva, the latest operation in Pasig City “only shows how bad the problem [on illegal online gambling] has become” and that the government should exert every effort to prevent the proliferation of the said activity.

“We strongly believe there is a dire need to strengthen legislation and enforcement to stop illegal online gambling and proliferation of illegal Chinese workers that shamelessly robbed our own people jobs,” he said.

He added the country’s labor laws and immigration rules must be clear and strictly enforced. /kga