Senator asks Bureau of Immigration to probe influx of Chinese engineers into RP

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Manuel Roxas said yesterday he will ask the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to look into the reported influx of Chinese electrical engineers into the country, to the disadvantage of their Filipino counterparts.

A group of Filipino engineers complained about the influx of foreign engineers, particularly from China. They claimed it was unclear whether the foreign engineers were working in the country with appropriate government licenses and permits.

“I will write the (BI) to inquire about the complaint of the Filipino electrical engineers. The BI is not supposed to allow professionals to work in the country unless there is lack of services,” said Roxas, who chairs the Senate committees on trade and commerce and on education.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. urged Filipino engineers to lodge formal complaints so the Senate can help protect local jobs.

The Filipino engineers have called the attention of the their professional organization – the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines – to address the issue.

They have also called on the government to strictly enforce Republic Act 7920 or the Electrical Engineering Law, which prohibits the practice of electrical engineering in the country without the requisite certification and professional license from the Board of Engineering.

The Filipino engineers said while they and their colleagues have to comply with strict regulations when practicing their profession abroad, foreign engineers in the Philippines enjoy a greater latitude of freedom due to lax enforcement.

“I will look into this, but the most important thing is for enforcement to be serious from the top,” Roxas said. – Christina Mendez, Philippine Star