PAMPANGA, Philippines — The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has directed all barangay officials to conduct strict monitoring of foreign nationals residing in their areas of jurisdiction. The order was issued following the discovery of a shabu laboratory in Angeles city, Pampanga that was operated by a Chinese and a Taiwanese national. According to outgoing DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, it is an obligation of local officials to do a background check and register all foreign nationals visiting or residing in their respective barangays to know the legality of their stay in the country. “This should be included in the security plan of each barangay chieftain to ensure safety in his area. Foreign nationals must be covered [by the ordinance]. They should be registered,” Sarmiento said. Over P1 billion worth of liquid shabu and a number of chemicals were seized by authorities in a house cum shabu laboratory discovered inside a subdivision in Sto. Domingo, Angeles City. The house was owned by Atty. Orlando Pangilinan and was rented by some Taiwanese and Chinese nationals who reasoned their children’s education as alibis. “Actually, I don’t know anything about their operations here. I don’t know who really owns the house. It’s just recently that I knew it was Atty. Pangilinan,” Berong Chaneco said, Brgy. Chairperson. DILG advises LGUs to register foreign nationals residing in their barangays
I'm sure those background checks would need to be paid for by someone......wanna take a guess who would have to foot the bill?
More nonsense, be interesting to see if they implement this ordinance when they don't bother with any of the other one's. They should get the police out of the police stations and on patrol (walking) in their areas of responsibility then they might have more idea what is going on.
There's already a gov agency here that monitors and registers foreigners = the BI. And we pay for that, umm....errrrr.....privilege. Seems like overlap/redundancy.
Millions of what kind of background checks? (2.4+ million tourists per year times every move to another bangaray plus residents) Registering how? Next he will want to implement a system so foreigners are tracked when they enter and leave a bangaray, sort of a Visa-Visa... cha-cha-cha And more great reporting "A total of 17, 638 were arrested for violating laws on illegal drug while 22 drug pushers were killed during encounter with authorities." Total drug arrests? Total foreigner drug arrests? In the country? In metro Manila? 17,638 / 2,400,000(+) = much less than 0.7% crime rate. Justification for such a far reaching, expensive ordinance or just a great sound bite so people think your doing something?
another thought; not only registered with the BI, but, last year with the census taker also. (they put a census sticker on the house near the front door once the interview was completed.)
They tried this barangay thing a few years back,they came here and asked for details but it never took off . For a start the bgy are far too lazy here when there is no money involved.
I just come across this British law that I would hate to see implemented in Philippines. Its called Right to Rent and it means its up to the landlord of the house or apartment to determine if the renter is in the country on a legal visa or not. Right to Rent goes live across England - News stories - GOV.UK By this standard, LGUs monitoring foreigners is just a baby step.
