TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — Fed up and frustrated about how foreigners are taking over the tour guiding, tour transport and even tourism service jobs depriving the locals who could have benefitted by the industry boom?
That and still many other issues like businesses which are used as front for human trafficking, prostitution, illegal detention of workers and other forms of abuse of workers can now be targets of a multi-agency and multi sectoral task force that gathers intelligence reports on business establishments operating their illegal businesses in Bohol.
Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado has recently signed Executive Order No. 43 series of 2024, which creates an Anti Illegal Business Task Force and safe workplace environment.
Aumentado, who has received countless complaints of foreigners acting as regular tour guides and tour drivers leaving local businesses without any share in the industry profits, has placed the Bureau of Immigration’s Alien Control Officer in Bohol as Task Force member, along with Bohol Provincial Police Intelligence Unit head, Police Provincial Director, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, as well as the Department of Tourism regional director.
In cases where there are businesses used as fronts for illegal operations like human trafficking by sending workers abroad ending without any job waiting, the Task Force also has the Department of Labor and Employment Provincial Head, Inter agency Council Against Trafficking in Bohol, and the Provincial Social Welfare and development officer.
The governor said some business operations in certain parts of the of the country have been reported and suspected of being engaged in human trafficking, forced labor, prostitution, practicing physical violence, illegally employing aliens and other unlawful activities.
It is incumbent upon all local government units, with the assistance of national government agencies to take proactive measures to prevent the entry of the above businesses operations or stop them if they have already entered Bohol, he said.
On this, the task force is tasked to compile and gather intelligence reports on business establishments used as fronts for human trafficking, illegal gambling, abusing workers or allowing workers in unsafe and hazardous workplace environment.
Moreover, the order also allows task force to conduct rescue operations on victims of human trafficking, illegal detention, forced labor, prostitution and conduct information education and communication drives to promote safe workplace environment.
The task force is composed of the governor as chairman, executive assistance on peace and order and public safety of the Provincial Peace and Order Council, National Bureau of Investigation head, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief, Bohol Fire Marshal, Bohol Tourism Officer, mayors from all LGUS concerned, and their city counterparts. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)
