DAVAO CITY—Indians and Chinese were among the most numerous foreign nationals working in the Davao Region, the regional Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE XI) has said.
They were among the top five nationalities who were issued with the Alien Employment Permit (AEP).
With them in the top five nationalities were Indonesians, Japanese and Pakistani.
The DOLE XI said the leading job positions they were holding were operations manager, marketing officers and electrical specialists.
The DOLE XI said it has issued 493 AEPs as of December 20 last year.
The AEP is issued to foreigners “who intend to work with a Philippines-based employer for more than six months, pursuant to Article 40 of the Labor Code, as amended.”
From the total, 85.2 percent, or 420 foreign nationals, were working with employers with offices of work operation in Davao City.
Since 2018, there was a significant increase of approximately 44 percent in the number of foreign nationals granted with AEPs in the region, the DOLE XI said.
The agency said that the Employment Regulatory Services, especially on the issuance of AEPs, were being “strictly enforced” and required from foreigners “to protect the welfare of Filipino workers as well as to address the possible cases of foreign nationals illegally working in Davao Region, the DOLE XI strictly enforces protocols in the issuance of AEPs.
The application for an AEP is the procedure used to assess whether a non-resident alien or foreign national’s application for employment conforms with the documentation requirements outlined in Department Order (DO) 221-2, Series of 2021: Revised Rules for the Issuance of Employment Permits to Foreign Nationals, as amended.
Stricter rules
DOLE XI Regional Director Randolf C. Pensoy said that while DOLE welcomes foreign nationals to have profitable careers in the country, “the regional office is implementing stricter rules and regulations for the issuance of AEP to continuously ensure that local jobs are protected and to afford Filipinos of gainful employment with respect to their competencies, abilities, and willingness to perform services.”
Through a regional advisory issued on November 25 last year, DOLE XI Foreign National Labor Inspectors (FNLIs) conducted verification visits to 59 establishments that intended to employ foreign nationals.
“The said visit ascertained veracity of the information and documents submitted in relation to AEP application, in which those identified establishments were found compliant with the AEP requirements as stated in DO 221-2021. In cases of non-compliance, establishments are expected to comply with the lacking requirements and carry out necessary actions to proceed with the application of permits,” the DOLE said.
The application for AEP is filed at the DOLE Regional Office concerned or having jurisdiction over the intended place of work within ten working days from date of signing of the contract or prior to the commencement of employment.