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By William Depasupil Reporter
A GROUP of Filipino-Chinese
businessmen on Thursday pledged its support for the Bureau of
Immigration’s campaign against illegal aliens and said they would
police their ranks to protect the interest of legitimate Chinese
entrepreneurs in the country.
In a memorandum of agreement
signed with Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan, the newly
formed Philippine-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCCI)
said it would assist the immigration bureau in strictly enforcing
immigration laws on Chinese.
PCCCI president, Anson Tan, said
his group would conduct a nationwide information campaign to
encourage all illegal, overstaying and improperly documented Chinese
to voluntarily surrender and register with the immigration to
legalize their stay in the country.
Tan said the PCCCI would also
come out with a paid advertisement in national newspapers advising
all illegally staying Chinese to register by updating their stay and
securing the required I-Card from the bureau.
“We want to ensure that the
interest of legitimate Chinese businessmen is protected and that
illegal Chinese who ruin our image and reputation are prosecuted,”
Tan said.
Libanan welcomed the PCCCI’s
support even as he encouraged other foreign chambers and federations
in the country to emulate the Chinese businessmen’s move.
He said the signing of the accord
was timely in view of the fact that foreigners have only until
December 31 this year to apply for their I-Cards or face arrest and
deportation.
Under the MOA, the PCCCI would
shoulder the expenses of deporting some 50 Chinese still detained at
the Bicutan immigration jail.
The PCCCI said it would help the
Chinese detainees settle their fines and penalties for overstaying
and buy the plane tickets for their return to China.
The PCCCI also agreed to shoulder
the cost of the plane tickets of four Chinese detainees who would be
deported this week and of three others who would leave next week.
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