MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment on Wednesday said it has no control over businesses being built on Boracay island, adding it is monitoring the potential recruitment of foreign workers for jobs fit for Filipinos.

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"‘Yung tungkol sa negosyo wala tayong magagawa kasi tayo we are in trade relations with other countries kaya kung may mag invest dito ok sa atin. Ang panget d'yan kung ang magtatayo ng business dito ay dayuhan din ang kanilang gagamiting mga mangagawa. 'Yun ang mali. We will not allow that," he said.

(In terms of businesses there is nothing we can do. If there are investments, fine with us. What we do not like is when foreign nationals are hired for the jobs)

“On red alert ang ating labor law compliance officer. Hindi namin binabanggit sa publiko, meron kaming mga inspector na ini-inspect lahat ito ‘yung Boracay at POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators),” he added.

(Our labor law compliance officers are on red alert. We haven't made it public, but our inspectors are monitoring Boracay, and POGOs)

The Department of Finance recently ordered the consolidation of all foreign nationals working for POGOs to ensure correct taxes are being paid.

Bello said the interagency task force, mandated to compile the list, would release the detailed result of the “massive” inspection in POGOs and the country’s economic zones.

Although the government is working on solving labor and tax issues involving foreign nationals, Bello said there were loopholes that needed to be addressed.

Foreign workers found to be working without an alien employment permit (AEP), for example, are only fined P10,000, Bello said.

“Napakaliit eh kayang-kaya nila 'yan. Bilyong bilyon ang kinikita ng mga lintik na ‘yan eh (That's too small. They earn billions) ,” he said.

DOLE also does not have enough inspectors, currently at 800, to monitor almost 1 million establishments in the country, he said.

Bello had urged citizens to report foreign nationals that are seen working for jobs that can be done by Filipinos. Smart and Globe Telecom subscribers can reach DOLE's hotline by dialing 1-3-4-9 without any prefix.

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