The arrival of 27,678 Chinese tourists to reside in the country as retirees poses a threat to national security, Vice President Leni Robredo said.
Speaking on her weekly radio show, Robredo expressed concern over the large number of Chinese entering the Philippines as retirees as young as 35 years old.
“Ito, marami na tayong aral sa kasaysayan. Baka ano ito, dangerous sa national security natin. Napakadami na natin. Iyon iyong isang danger,” she said.
The vice president raised the possibility the influx of Chinese retirees will affect the employment of Filipinos because they could be now working in Philippine Online Gaming Operations or POGOs.
“Unang una, iyong POGO dapat hindi pinapayagan dito, kasi number one, ilegal nga siya sa China, ilegal siya sa China tapos pinapayagan natin ditto,” she said.
“Number two, kung kukuha sila ng trabaho dito, maraming Pilipino ang walang trabaho, makiki-agaw pa sila sa mga Pilipino,” the opposition leader added.
During last week’s budget hearing of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in the Senate, Senator Richard Gordon asked the agency to review its policies allowing the entry of young foreign retirees, especially Chinese.
Data from the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) showed the Chinese comprise the highest number of foreign retirees, with nearly 28,000 of them in the country.
The Chinese retirees are followed by Korean at 14,000, and Indians at 6,000.
Robredo questioned why the PRA has been allowing 35-year-old Chinese retirees to enter the country.
“Dapat nasilip na ito sa umpisa pa lang. Eh ano na, four years na iyong administrasyon. Bakit pinapayagan —parang pinalampas na ganito?,” she said. (Raymund F. Antonio)
