DOLE to inspect Chinese-owned firms

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will check if Chinese firms in the country are complying with labor laws.

Labor Assistant Secretary Benjo Benavidez made the commitment in response to reports that some Chinese-owned firms and establishments in the country cater exclusively to Chinese nationals and are openly barring Filipinos.

“We will look into the employment side,” Benavidez said, noting that ensuring consumer protection is beyond DOLE’s authority.

Labor groups were demanding the hiring of more Filipino workers for China-funded construction projects.

“Jobs in the construction industry should increase given the massive amount of investment we are pouring into it. But how many workers actually benefited from these jobs? How many of them are Filipinos workers and how many are Chinese? And more importantly, how decent are these jobs generated?” Nagkaisa labor coalition Sonny Matula said.

He said possibly only a few Filipino workers are benefitting from jobs generated by Chinese-funded infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) said it would not let Chinese workers take jobs away from Filipinos.

In a statement, PAGCOR said that “together with its partner agencies,” it would come out with a circular that “will ensure that the Chinese workers in the Philippines will not take away the employment opportunities of Filipinos in their own country.”

The state gaming regulator issued the statement in response to Vice President Leni Robredo’s recent pronouncement that the government should not allow Chinese nationals to work in the Philippines in offshore gambling firms that are banned in their country.

The agency also clarified that unlike in China, online gambling is allowed in the Philippines but only for offshore-based players from countries where online gaming is allowed.

“Considering that a considerable number of offshore gaming players are Chinese-speaking but based in countries other than China, many offshore gaming firms operating in the Philippines hire Chinese-speaking customer service providers to cater to the unique needs of their clientele,” PAGCOR said.

“PAGCOR upholds strict adherence by licensed operators and accredited service providers to whatever laws which may be applicable to them.”

In a recent interview in Palawan, Robredo said allowing Chinese workers to do in the Philippines what is illegal in their country is a “big insult” to Filipinos.

“There were residents of Palawan who informed me that these Chinese started with online gaming activities in the province. My question is, did they come here because this (online gaming) is prohibited in their country? Then why are we allowing them?” she said.