Gov’t mulls entry of foreign workers employed in flagship projects

The government will study the possibility of allowing anew the entry of foreign workers particularly those employed in flagship projects in the country, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque admitted that some foreign embassies made the request on easing the country’s travel restrictions for foreign workers. The matter will be discussed by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases during a meeting on Monday, he added.

“Sinisimulan na pong pag-usapan iyan sa IATF kasi may mga request nga coming from embassies na payagan iyong mga foreign employees ng mga flagship projects (The IATF will start to discuss that because there is a request coming from embassies to allow foreign employees in flagship projects),” he said during a Palace press briefing.

He said the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Customs are expected to make a report on the number of foreigners working in flagship projects, those holding visas related to work and permanent residence such as retirees and special investors.

“So, mamaya pong hapon sa pagpapatuloy ng meeting ng IATF magpiprisenta po sila ng datos at para magkaroon po ng desisyon kung bubuksan pa nga natin ang ating bayan sa mga dayuhan (The IATF will continue its meeting this afternoon. They will present data so there will be a decision if we will open our country to foreigners),” he said.

Roque declined to identify the embassies that made the request. He noted that any policy on the visa issuance must be applicable to all foreigners, not just one nationality.

“Maybe I won’t identify which embassy but many have requested. There are many foreign contractors in our flagship projects. But we can’t make a decision just for one nationality because we have an equal protection clause. If a policy will be made, although there is just one embassy that made the request, it must equally be applicable to all foreigners in the country),” he said in Pilipino.

The government suspended visa issuance to foreigners following the strict quarantine measures put in place since

March to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Visa-free privileges of foreign nationals are also temporarily suspended by the government. Only foreign government and international organization officials accredited to the country as well as foreign spouses and children of Filipino national are allowed to enter the country.