VOI,. XXXIII. NO.18.3 sECTIONs15 PA6E5. PTS.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY

hvDocritically talking of upholding the

Labor..., law bv evicting Chinese workers but tum
l-abor protests Frcm Al a blind eye ro the violations by Chinese in-
vestors," Magtubo said
"The root of the problem is the Duterte
envoy's threat Chinese Ambassador Zhao iianhua's threat
was blatant blackmail and the gof€rnment administration's lax policy with regard to
should grow enough ofa spine and hare the the entnr' ofChinese capital and loans The
poremment itself created the problem be-
to deport 0FWs Depanment of Foreign Affairs file a diplo-
matic Drotest. iause of its subservience to the interests of
''Wi stand for rhe proteclion ofall migrant the Cbinese government and Chinese capi-
ByVito Barcelo workers evervwhere and thus oppose threats talists," the PM said.
and MaricelV. Cruz and plans for deponing en masse both Filipi- Mastubo said that instead of mass de-
no and Chinese migrant workers." said Rene nonattns of migrant workers in the Philip-
Mastubo. PM national chairman. pines and China-. the two countries shoLlld
LABOR groups slarnmed the Cbinese
forge a bilateral labor agrcem€nt to protect
ambassador WednesdaY for waming P-alace sook.smun Sahador Panelo ad-
mitted thatlianhua had told him that China m isrant workers.
Manila agiinst deporting illegal Chinese
workers, saying Beijing woutd do the would -do the same" ifthe Philippines ':Such an agreement must secure decent
wouldhastily deport Chinese illegals' wages, benefits, working conditions and
same to Filipinos working in China.
But he later \\ent on TV to sa) the am' iobs including the freedom lo unronlze
The Partido Manggagawa and the iunhec to plug rhe gaping loophole that
hassador had issued ni'threlt.'
Federarion of Free Workers said that
"The Chinese government did not make facilitates ilGgal migation, labor
deploy-
. 'NextPsge
a threat," Panelo said in an inte iert on ment abrcad must be through government
GMA News TV. channels instead of pdvato agencics;' the
"We were discussing what the govem- labor group added.
ment would have done if another govern- Anakpawis parfy-list Rep. Ariel Casi-
ment would rccklessly deport their nation- lao. meanwhili, urged President Rodrigo
als not in accordance with law," he said. Duterte to prioritize rhe hiring of Filipino
But in a statement, FFW president Sonny workcls in government Fojects.
Matula said the Chinese envoy's action was Casilao iisued the statement against the
'bullying and bordering on interference in backdrop of rising unemployment.
rhe affairs of a sorereign state'- "Lle Dromised to create jobs by propos-
The labor groups said migrant workers ins to rebuild industries and factories' and
should not made pawns in a diplomatic war u.iwed ro end labor
contracrualization but
and also must not becomg scapegoaB ln a we all know now, that they were just ftapo
lailed government PolicY oromises. uorse. more Filipino workers are
"lt is the Chinese inveslors brlnglng ln iobless. and rubbing salt into the wound'
is swelling"'
Chinese workers that must be made:re- ihe number offoreign workers
sponsible for their crimes. Everybody's Casilao said.

"TNontT p\q€ "