Locsin says gov't may ask China to 'vet' citizens who will enter PHL

The government is mulling on asking China to "vet" its citizens who are coming to the Philippines in order to address the issue on the influx of Chinese workers in the country, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr said Tuesday.

"There's a proposal that we ask China to vet who is coming here. Mostly the way you check that is we go through the credit agency, 'yung sa bangko kung mayroon kang pera o hampaslupa ka lang," Locsin said in an interview on Unang Balita.

"Personally, I do not like to exclude a person just because they are not rich. But if it's the desire of the Senate, then I will enter into an agreement. We will ask the Chinese company, probably mga service providers to vet. We will take what they say," he added.

Locsin attributed the problem on illegal Chinese workers on the issuance of their visas as they initially applied for tourist visas but would later work in the online industry.

"The problem is this... that is a problem of the issuance of visas. They come as tourists, I'm told ha... wala ako sa Immigration. They come as tourists and they stay on as online [workers]," Locsin said.

Senator Grace Poe urged the government to launch a crackdown against illegal Chinese workers in Philippine offshore or online gaming operations (POGO).

She also said the Philippines should adopt a policy that prohibits tourists from being issued any kind of working visa.

This came after Labor and Immigration officials bared that the bulk of foreign nationals obtaining work permits in the country are Chinese individuals who work in online gaming industry.

Last week, some Chinese were arrested for working in online gaming operations without work permits or other pertinent documents. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News