Palace tells Chinese businesses in PHL not to discriminate against Filipinos

Malacañang on Monday told Chinese businesses in the country not to discriminate against Filipinos.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the remark after Senator Panfilo Lacson urged the government to order the closure of restaurants and other businesses that cater only Chinese nationals.

Netizens, for instance, have accused China Food City in Alabang, Muntinlupa City of prohibiting entry to Filipino customers.

"We have to investigate that if that is true. We cannot allow that to happen. They cannot be discriminating against Filipinos; it’s a public business and therefore it should cater to all," Panelo told reporters.

Panelo said they will ask the Department of Labor and Employment to probe the matter.

He also urged Filipinos affected by such kind of policy to file a complaint.

"The better step or thing to do is to file a complaint. If you engage the owner or try to force yourself, you will only trigger a fight," he said.

"If there is a complaint and they validate that it has violated a law, then it should; LGU [local government unit] should do their job," Panelo added.

A report by the Agence France-Presse in March said at least 200,000 Chinese have flocked to Manila since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power in June 2016, many of them employed by online gaming firms that cater to Chinese players.

Some politicians have alleged this drives up property prices, takes away jobs from locals and even affects tax revenues. —LDF, GMA News