House bill redefines illegal recruiters

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House of Representatives on Monday approved a bill that will redefine the crime of illegal recruitment by a syndicate by reducing the required number of perpetrators from three or more to two or more persons if committed by non-licensees or non-holders of authorities.

The measure is expected to make it easier to prosecute the crime and give justice to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), lawmakers said.

“We see this proposed law as an added protection for our hardworking OFWs and an effort to strengthen further our efforts in deterring illegal re-

PBBM...

From A1 the importation of sugar to all traders.

The SRA forecasts that the country will have a negative ending stock of 552,835 MT by the end of August 2023, the end of the milling season, and it will be necessary to import 100,000 MT to 150,000 MT to avert a shortfall.

The SRA said that as of May 7, 2023, the country had a sufficient supply of raw sugar with a beginning stock of 160,000 MT.

However, the country will still need to import an additional 100,000 to 150,000 MT of sugar by this year because the expected local production of 2.4 million MT and the imports authorized so far will not be able to cover the 3.1 million MT demand.

Sought for reaction, the county biggest group of exporters said it is the prerogative of the President to decide on matters of national security, especially on food security given the latest economic data.

“While mostly everybody has their our interest or opinion on the matter of importation, I personally think that the President has all the information and appropriate appreciation of the facts and so is in the best position to decide on this matter,” said PhilExport president Sergio Ortiz-Luis.

Food processors and exporters “agree with the President’s move,” said Hi-Las Marketing CEO and president Roberto Angelo Amores II.

“The importation hopefully would result in more reasonable prices for sugar locally so we as processors and food manufacturers can remain competitive in both the local and foreign markets. We hope that members of PHILFOODEX will be given allocations for the inbound sugar,” he added.

However, sugar farmer and former SRA Administrator Lito Coscolluela lamented the lack of transparency in government procurement, “unlike in the past when all legitimate stakeholders are consulted for every proposed or planned importation.”

Lawmakers...

From A1 should be held to account for the root cause of these disturbances,” said Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, vice chair of the Senate Committee on energy.

Before the May incidents, NGCP also reported a system disturbance in the Visayas grid on April 27, causing a loss of 322.3 megawatts (MW) and power interruptions that persisted until April 30 in the islands of Panay, Guimaras, and Negros, affecting over 1.5 million households, Gatchalian said.

“NGCP is mandated under Section 3 of Republic Act No.9511 to operate and maintain the transmission system, grid, and related facilities at all times in accordance with industry standards,” he said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros maintained her position that transmission lines, which are a key backbone of the entire power industry, should not have been privatized in the first place.

Hontiveros was reacting to proposals to buy back China’s shares in the NGCP due to security reasons.

Hontiveros said there are two primary reasons for her position—one is national security; the other is government financial losses, including tax revenue.

“As a result, I wholeheartedly support Senator JV [Ejercito]’s proposal to reclaim control of the national grid, particularly from Chinese control,” she said.

Based on expert testimony submitted during earlier Senate investigations, she said China acquired the upper hand in regulating the system functioning of the grid because it owns 40 percent of the consortium.

With Maricel V. Cruz cruitment and giving justice to OFWs who fall prey to illegal recruitment,”

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said.

House Bill 7718, which the chamber approved overwhelmingly with 260 affirmative votes, seeks to amend Article 38 of the Labor Code and Mi- grant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act by adding a new way to identify illegal recruitment by a syndicate -which is “if the offenders are nonlicensees or non-holders of authority and the act was carried out by two or more persons.”

“Under the current Labor Code, illegal recruitment by a syndicate is deemed committed only if carried out by a group of three or more persons conspiring and/or confederating with one another in carrying out any unlawful or illegal transaction, enterprise or scheme defined under the law,” Romualdez said.

“The minimum number of persons provided in the law makes it hard to prosecute illegal recruitment cases by a syndicate,” the Speaker added.

“With House Bill 7718, we hope to fight the crime of illegal recruitment further and make it easier for government prosecutors to file and prosecute the crime of illegal recruitment committed by a syndicate in the case of nonlicensees or non-holders of authorities, as two or more persons conspiring or confederating with one another would be sufficient,” he added.

Principal authors of HB 7718 include Reps. Ralph Tulfo, Jocelyn Tulfo, Gus Tambunting, and Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo.