No surge in foreign workers despite Asean integration

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the integration of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), there has been no surge of number of foreign workers into the country.

Gerard Seno of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP),  said they have not monitored any unusual increase in the number of foreign workers since the effectivity of the ASEAN integration last December.

“At this time, we have yet to feel any impact of the Asean integration, if there would be any,” Seno said in an interview.

When they received reports of illegal entry and hiring of foreign workers last year, Seno said, they immediately reported the matter to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

“The government immediately responded to our complaint and we have not monitored any report of illegal entry of foreign workers since then,” he said.

But he urged the government to implement programs such as intensified skills training that would prepare local workers for the Asean integration.

“Our workers should be highly skilled so they could compete with their counterpart from other Asean countries,” Seno explained.

Earlier, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported that the country is set to open its door to foreign professionals to address the prevailing skills shortage.

Dominique Tutay, DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) director, said the government will allow hiring of foreign workers included in the Skills Occupational Shortage List (SOSL) now being drafted by DOLE.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz , however, stressed although the government is opening the doors to foreign professionals, they will still be required to comply with certain requirements.

 Baldoz said foreign nationals who will be working here are required to secure an alien employment permit (AEP) from DOLE while those under  regulated professions needs to apply for permit from the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC).