Illegal foreign workers in Boracay, Aklan under probe

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Aklan Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Nemesio Neron wants to go on with the legislative inquiry on undocumented foreigners living and doing business in Aklan and Boracay Island.

 

After the re-opening of Boracay Island, foreign workers employed as tour commissioners, interpreters, operators or tour guides and proficient in Korean and Chinese are also on the rise.

Neron said the inquiry seeks ‘to protect the interest of Filipino workers and to address the overpopulation in Boracay Island’.  He had also taken a strong stance against businesses that prefer undocumented foreign workers instead of locals. 

“Marami tayong nareceived na reports na may mga foreigners na undocumented. Inaagawan nila ang ating mga kababayan sa Boracay ng lehitimong trabaho. Hindi pa natapos ang inquiry dahil nag-sarado ang Boracay,” the board member added.

A municipal ordinance in Malay, Aklan requires all persons to secure working permits before engaging in any activities in Boracay Island by reason of employment, business interest, practice of profession or any other livelihood endeavor. 

Last March, the SP committees raised the concerns with Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials on the growing number of foreign workers in Aklan and Boracay Island. 

Neron said he will ask the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to reschedule the inquiry to determine the number of foreigners in the province without working permits and violating the Philippine laws on immigration.  

“Marami na tayong foreigners dito sa Kalibo at Boracay na nagtatrabaho at may mga negosyo. Titingnan natin kung dokumentado sila at kung may violations sa immigration laws,” he said. 

On November 26, the Senate committees on labor, employment and human resource development also started its probe on illegal foreign workers in the country.