Bill legalizing stay of undocumented aliens gets support

Foreign nationals who have been illegally staying in the country will be granted legal resident status as soon as the proposed bill amending Commonwealth Act 613 or the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 is approved.

Casimiro “Jun” Madarang III, Bureau of Immigration-Cebu alien control officer said that legalizing aliens who entered the country illegally and granting them legal residence is one way for the government to earn revenues.

“Nindot na nga (that’s a good) bill kay this will be the chance for foreign nationals especially kadtong mga (those) overstaying and undocumented to come out and be part of the society’s mainstream and at the same time makakwarta pa gyud ang gobyerno ana (the government will earn revenue),” Madarang said.

The proposed bill, sponsored by former immigration commissioner and now Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the 2nd District of Cagayan de Oro City and Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. of Party-list, Abante Mindanao, proposed that foreigners who have entered the Philippines prior to June 30, 2000 can avail of it if passed into law.

Madarang said that in 2002, BI had a program that gave illegal aliens a chance to be documented in the country and paid corresponding fee of at least P200,000 each.

”Daghan mga illegal aliens mi- availed ato mostly Chinese basta wala lang silay mga derogatory records (plenty of illegal aliens availed of it, mostly Chinese, as long as they do not have derogatory records),” Madarang said.

Madarang admitted there are several undocumented and overstaying foreigners in the country but it is difficult to trace them unless they figured out in a situation where their papers are required.

“Manggawas ra na sila kung naa nay problema

especially kanang manguli na sila unya dili makauli kay they are overstaying na unya maglisud na og bayad,” he added.

The bill will address the problem on illegal aliens who are engaged in criminal activities in the country. It will also shield the Philippines from foreign criminal elements using the country’s territory to engage in terrorism, human smuggling and trafficking and other criminal activities.

The bill seeks to promote international order and justice by denying aliens the use of Philippine territory in promoting terrorist and other criminal activities.

“The purpose of this bill is to mandate the immigration agency to run after undesirable aliens, who, because of their nefarious activities in the country, pose a clear and present danger to national security, public safety, public health and national interest,” the authors of the bill said.

According to the authors, there is a need to adopt clearer but stricter rules and regulations on immigration to protect the security and safety of the Filipino people without jeopardizing government efforts to attract foreign legitimate investors and tourists.

Under the bill, aliens who stayed in the country illegally and who have entered the country prior to June 30, 2000, excluding those who already availed in good faith of the benefits of Executive Order 324 and Republic Act 7919 whose application has been duly approved will be granted legal residence status upon compliance with the provisions of the proposed act.

The bill also seeks to define the country’s immigration policy to foreigners who wish to come, thereby legalizing their stay in the Philippines through a process that would be less expensive, more practical, more humanitarian and, in the long run, more mutually beneficial to them and their host country.

The bill further provides that those who seek entry into the country, whether on a permanent or temporary basis, are subject to standards of admission, which do not discriminate in a manner consistent with internationally recognized human rights and freedoms.—