STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON THE ARREST OF 332 ILLEGAL WORKERS IN TARLAC

The arrest of 300 illegal Chinese workers in Tarlac provides even more support to our key findings at the Senate probe into the 'pastillas' scam' and other POGO-related crimes. This one of the effects of the Bureau of Immigration's lax immigration policies, which are enabled by corrupt officials and personnel.

While I commend the BI for arresting these undocumented foreign workers, the clandestine operations that continue to facilitate and bankroll these illegal practices call for a complete overhaul of the agency.

How are more than 300 people able to enter our borders, land jobs, and stay here this whole time? What does this say about the databases and record keepers at the Bureau of Immigration and at the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation?

I would also like to pose a challenge to the BI: look for and arrest more cases of illegal workers carrying out illegal online gambling activities not only in Tarlac, but also across the country, especially in enclaves where POGOs have been known to operate even amid a global pandemic.

As I have also manifested at our hearings at the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, our government must make the immigration process more airtight as the social cost of online gambling outweighs any economic benefits. Cybercrimes, kidnapping, prostitution, and petty crimes with established links to online gambling firms make Filipinos, especially women and children, vulnerable to abuse.

I reiterate my call for the termination of the dubious "Visa Upon Arrival" scheme. Instead of this VUA, Chinese visitors entering the country should apply for visas through channels monitored by the DFA.