P300 million take at immigration

The stink at the Bureau of Immigration under OIC Ronald Ledesma is now coming out. On Saturday night, TV Patrol reported the raid on a Korean Language Center at Fantasy World in Lemery, Batangas where 80 Korean minors, some as young as nine years old were housed for English instruction. Six Korean nationals were arrested for several violations of Philippine laws, including not having working permits.

The raid was triggered by a report of whistleblower Sandra Cam who owns the Nazareth Institute in Alfonso, Cavite.

A Korean woman recruiter had approached Sandra to enroll 30 Korean students at Nazareth Institute for English classes. Sandra asked the Korean lady if the Korean students had secured a student study permit (SSP) from the Bureau of Immigration and asked her to show their passports. The Korean recruiter retorted:  “It is not necessary to get an SSP because we just pay immigration officials to protect us.”

An SSP requires a payment of P6,600 per applicant. Sandra learned that the Korean syndicates pay P3,000 under the table per student to Immigration officials. They are also not allowed to enter the NAIA without payment of P3,120 fee for Waiver of Exclusion Ground (WEG) for every unaccompanied minor.

There’s an estimated 40,000-50,000 Korean English students in Korean Language Centers in Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon, Baguio, Angeles, Cebu, Iloilo and Dumaguete. The estimated income of this Korean-Immigration protection syndicate is at least P300 million a year. Note that the English language class runs for only six months.

Immigration Intelligence personnel complained to Sandra Cam that OIC Ronald Ledesma has been sitting on requested mission orders to inspect Korean Language Centers.

Since most of the students are minors, there’s a potential for abuse here. DSWD must inspect the housing of these kids and the food they are being served and also what medical services are made available for them. They don’t have permits from DepEd or CHED and they don’t give SSS coverage, or withhold taxes for their teachers.

Sandra Cam who accompanied the raiding team noted that the houses at Fantasy World are rundown and living condition of the minors was very bad. Sandra also noticed that the teachers wore Nazareth uniforms when they are not connected with her school.

The government is losing hundreds of millions of revenue from these Korean students without SSP permits. DOJ Secretary de Lima must now direct the NBI to investigate the stinking state of affairs at her Immigration Bureau. Malacañang must take an interest here before a diplomatic incident erupts if and when some Korean minors are abused or hurt in these Korean Language Centers.

The government should now adopt a policy requiring an 18-year-old age minimum for Korean students.

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JUST PR . . . Malacañang announced a few weeks ago that it was beefing up its legal team with retired Justice Consuelo Ynares Santiago. Justice Santiago was invited to a meeting in Malacañang during which she asked for the specific job requirements and authority she would have. After the meeting, she was told they would draw up her job description and would call her when it is ready.

Several weeks have passed and she is still waiting for that call. It looks like there will be no changes in the Malacañang legal team.

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HOW? . . . President Aquino promised a better life for all Filipinos in 2011 during the annual Vin de Honneur for the diplomatic corps at Malacañang last January 7.

That’s an excellent statement to make on New Year’s week. It gives hope to the country. Now the question is — how will he deliver on this promise?

Will he provide jobs to 3 million unemployed Filipinos and 900,000 new entrants to the labor force?

Will he provide better protection and security to the citizen by catching the kidnapping, gun for hire carjacking and akyat bahay syndicates? Will he be able to achieve peace with the NPA and the MILF?

Will he solve the traffic problem of Edsa and Metro Manila?

Will he be able to solve the pollution problem of Metro Manila?

Will the businessmen have an easier time dealing with government offices without having to pay a bribe or wait for weeks to get approvals?

Will he be able to improve health and hospital services for the poor and bring down the price of medicine?

Will he work 25/8 or at least 18/6 a week to get a handle on the above problems and many more? Let’s hope so. Then, we will have a better life for all. He can start by rolling back NFA rice prices to P18/kilo, postponing the increase of LRT and MRT fares and by exerting more presidential pressure on the oil companies to moderate their profits. Petron alone will make at least P6 billion in 2010. He can also gain a headstart by hiring 10,000 teachers more, 10,000 policemen and 10,000 nurses and stop the mass layoffs in government offices. Good luck Mr. President, you have 353 days to fulfill your promise.

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TIDBITS . . . The Manila Bulletin reports that Shalani Soledad spent New Year’s eve and day with Willie Revillame at Boracay. Anabelle Rama said that the two are now “going steady”.

In Cotabato City, Saturday. Eulogio Lim Yu, 56, a trader was kidnapped in front of the Estosan Hotel by 6 armed men . . . Barangay Chairman Ramon Danwata was killed and 3 soldiers were wounded by suspected NPA rebels in Malita, Davao del Sur. . . Councilor Taib Alejo of Basilan, 2 others hurt in an ambush in Isabela City . . .The death toll from the floods and landslides is now 34. . .

Abdulhamid Bandahala Mohammad, deputy chief of the LTO, Sulu was shot dead in a hotel in Zamboanga City.