DOLE, BI ink pact on sharing of foreign workers' data

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) have forged a data-sharing agreement (DSA) to facilitate information exchange on foreigners working in the Philippines.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco signed the pact in simple rites at the DOLE Central Office in Intramuros on Feb. 26, the DOLE said in a news release Wednesday.

Laguesma said the agreement will cover information on foreigners issued with an Alien Employment Permit (AEP).

“Eventually, the manual verification will be a thing of the past, and the Alien Employment Permit Management System of the DOLE and the BI System through the application programming interface will expand our exchanges of information and will result in streamlining the process of both agencies,” he said.

“This will also help both our agencies in providing and producing validated reports often requested from us by other government entities,” the DOLE chief added, noting that it will also align the departments’ processes with the ease of doing business.

The data sharing, in conformity with the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 001, Series of 2019, or the “Rules and Procedures Governing Foreign Nationals,” was first tackled during a meeting between DOLE’s Bureau of Local Employment and the BI in April last year.

Tansingco, meanwhile, noted that the DSA will enable them to verify online in real-time the validity and authenticity of AEPs shown by foreigners seeking employment in the Philippines.

“At the same time, we can also share to DOLE kung sino inisyuhan namin ng (whom we have issued) 9G working visas, provisional work permits, special work permits,” he said.

Tansingco also announced that the processing of 9G visas will be online starting June 1 this year. (PNA)