Philippine gov’t to create inter-agency committee to oversee foreign workers

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The government is set to establish an inter-agency committee that will oversee the foreign workers in the country, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said Thursday.

Bello said that he had a meeting with the heads of other agencies concerned with the foreign labor work force in the country.

The meeting included Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Pagcor chairperson Andrea Domingo, and BIR Commissioner Cesar Dulay.

“There was an understanding that we create an inter-agency committee headed by DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment),” Bello told reporters in an interview.

He said that the committee will establish a full inventory of foreign workers in the country to regulate their work.

“Then we will get a full inventory of foreign workers  with the end view of regulating work nila dito including collection of taxes,” he added.

Aside from the inventory, Bello said the inter-agency committee will create an “institutionalized procedure” on allowing foreigners to work in the country.

He said they are also considering a “special working committee” that is a delegate authority from the DOLE to the Bureau of Immigration.

Bello’s statements were made in the sidelines of the Senate committee on labor, employment and human resources development probe on the influx of illegal foreign workers in the country. /je