SVEG Succeeds in Attracting Foreign Business
March 21. -2010he Bureau of Immigration (BI) reports that more than 400 foreign businessmen have availed of its special visa for employment generation (SVEG) since its inception last year, creating more than 33,000 jobs for Filipinos in the process. The SVEG, fueled by the signing into law of guidelines for its issuance late in 2008, accords indefinite stay and multiple entry privileges to qualified non-immigrant foreigners that employ at least ten Filipinos full-time. The project is part of the BI’s current thrust to attract foreign investment to the country with friendly policies and programs. According to BI legal officer Cris Villalobos, the SVEG holders ranged from foreigners maintaining investments in the country to expats already employed here. Metro Manila remained the main hub for business generated by the visa, with 107 visa holders residing in the city, employing 20,000 locals. As of January this year, Koreans accounted for the most recipients with 120 visa holders.
Chinese, Taiwanese, American, British, Australian, Japanese, Indian, Malaysian, and Singaporean businessmen made up the rest of the SVEG holder list. Aside from the bulk of jobs created in Metro Manila, Regions IV (Southern Luzon), VII (Central Visayas), and III (Central Luzon, including the Subic and Clark economic zones) also experienced a similar boost in employment with a combined 10,000 jobs created by SVEG holders there. Expats, visa holders and immigration rights advocates (among them, Foreign Assistance Center Founder Alfred Lehnert ) alike have so far lauded the BI on the project, both for the benefits it accords and the ease of the visa’s processing. SVEG holder Richard Upton, who has been spending the most recent of his 38 years in the country as president of skills development company John Robert Powers, especially commends BI commissioner Marcelino Libanan on the project. “I thought it was the most sensible idea relative to people who own businesses who have to come and go a great deal.” Upton says the Philippines is apt especially for service-oriented businesses, which can take advantage of the country’s highly skilled and driven workforce at reasonable cost. “Also, you get all the support staff here. This is a marvelous place for creative work,” he adds. In fact, he says John Robert Powers’ curriculum for its entire operations across Asia is developed here. As for the efficiency of the BI’s SVEG One-Stop-Shop Center, he says visa processing was never more hassle-free. According to him, the bureau staff was very easy to deal with, and time spent at the bureau itself never reached more than an hour. “It made me feel as though small businessmen were being recognized,” Upton adds about the special visa. Upton had come to settle in the Philippines by virtue of being married to a Filipina, Ballet Philippines founder Alice Reyes. To foreigners yet to arrive in the country and who are still exploring the idea of doing business here with the SVEG, he strongly suggests, “Do [avail of] it. If you qualify, you’re a fool if you don’t.”
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German TV Team visit expat in Manila
August 9-22-2009German TV Documents Philippine Immigration Policy
Putting faces to the abuse, the film presents several beneficiaries of Lehnert’s assistance: Robert Fuessl, a German pilot caught on camera in detention at the BI-Bicutan Detention Center; Jonathon Bently-Stevens, an Australian would-be investor in Davao who lost his capital as a result of trumped-up charges; and Henry Assmann, a Canadian detained for six years for allegedly working without the necessary permits. A cross-section of such victimized foreigners reveals a mismatch of old male foreigners and their young Filipina wives or partners, sometimes even prostitutes. The possibility of the latter taking advantage of the former, claim Lehnert, is very real. $BI Commissioner BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan, who himself has recently revamped the bureau with foreigner-friendly procedural changes, supports the filmmakers’ bid to infuse European standards into Philippine immigration policy. In particular, Comm. Libanan stressed the need for prosecutors in immigration cases to remain objective, as fair adjudication in such matters would cultivate a more secure, investor-friendly environment. Lehnert also additionally extends his assistance to members of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA). The 45-minute documentary “Manila 2009” will be aired later in the year on ARD Television in Germany and on 18 regional stations there. A 25-minute English version will be broadcast on German international news channel DW-TV.
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The Philippines Forum for International Readers since 1981
Mai 31-June 13, 2009Bureau of Immigration Reforms Under Libanan: An Update
Lehnert, who had been a victim of extortion himself, attributes a Supreme Court resolution ordering his release from detention to the BI's new legal outlook.
The complete documentation - EXPAT Mai 31-June 13, 2009 by Jahzeel AbihalinG.Cruz
Legal Immigration - Investment and Prevention
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Former Expat Detainee / Tells His Ordeal
He
has won more than halfway in the legal
battle, one of the first few cases ever won by a foreigner
complainant. The case: alleged crime for
arbitrary detention against a former Immigration Commissioner.
But Alfred Lehnert, a civil engineer from Hamburg, Germany, wants to
push the case till the very end. Pending before the Sandiganbayan is
Lehnert's case he lodged against former Immigration
Commissioner Andrea Domingo and four other Intelligence
officers from Bureau of Immigration for
arbitrary detention.This after the Office of the Ombudsman upheld the ruling of the Supreme Court that Lehnert was illegally arrested and detained without warrant. The same office also recommended in its resolution that the case be filed at the Sandiganbayan, also known as the Anti Graft court.
For 18 months, since his detention in September, 2002, Lehnert languished in the detention center with 200 other detainees. Finally on Feb. 24 in 2004, the Supreme Court ordered his release from the Bicutan Detention Center. On March 25, 2004, the complainant was finally freed from detention. Lehnert was arrested based on orders by then former BI Commissioner Domingo "to verify and validate" Lehnert's activities in the Philippines as well as his immigration status. Lehnert fought his case before the Philippine courts represented by his attorney until he was finally freed from detention. He said at first he had bright hopes while living in his new homeland, prepared to immerse in the Philippine culture.
"I came to the Philippines for medical reasons on advice with my doctor to live in a tropical country. I was with my ex wife, a Filipina who once lived in Cebu City. I bought tree houses and I was bringing in investors from Europe." he narrated to Expat Newspaper. The sudden turn of events made him lose his es wife and his daughter who fled the country while he was in detention. He also lost his three houses.
In resolution - OMH-V-C-040224-D- issued by the Office of the Ombudsman dated Jan. 29, 2008, it stated that even if is true that he was arrested by virtue of a mission order merely directed the BI agents to conduct verification on the status of the complainant, and it is only when he is found to be violating the country's immigration laws can he be immediately arrested.
The crime of arbitrary detention, as explained in the Office of the Ombudsman resolution, is present when the offender is a public officer or employee, that he or she detains a person and that the detention is without legal grounds.
"Such being the case, it is beyond doubt that complainant's
warrentless arrest was illegal.
The arrest being illegal, his subsequent detention become illegal as
well," the resolution noted. The resolution also declared that: "to
uphold the arguments of the respondents will lead us to a very absurd,
despotic and dangerous situation where any immigration agent can just
arrest any alien without probable cause anyway, the illegal arrest and
detention can just be cured by the simple act of filing a charge sheet
in the Bureau of Immigration. This is not the spirit of the law and
this court will never allow it to happen."
In the resolution, it also agreed with the Supreme Court that the issuance of warrants of arrest by the former BI commissioner solely for the purpose of investigation and before a final order of deportation is issued is contrary to the "right of a person to due process."
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Battle Rages On
"I hope it will be
resolved soon," his
tone optimistic, stressing that he will fight this to the end. The case
stemmed from an alleged mission order ordered by Domingo against him. The
German national
was following up some papers at the Immigration Office in Mandaue City
in Cebu when he was arrested by four Intelligence officers to verify
his status and activities in the Philippines. The complainant then
filed a petition for Habeas Corpus at the Regional Trial Court of
Mandaue City. Also, a deportation case was filed against Lehnert for "Undesirability
and Violation of Section 37 (a) (7) of the Philippine Immigration Act
of 1940", as amended over an alleged "sexual
case." The issue dragged on with suits and counter suits
between Lehnert and the Immigration Office.
It is perhaps the first time a foreigner filed a case against a former government official. And Lehnert is optimistic the battle may be over soon.
Now, Lehnert and many other agencies, was invited by the House Committee on justice of the House of Representatives to present his views on the pending new immigration bill otherwise known as House Bill no, 1850 or the Immigration Act of 2006 authored by former Rep. And now Immigration Commissioner Marcelo Libanan.The bill was passed on third reading at the lower house and is awaiting deliberations at the senate.In an interview with Lehnert in two separate occasions,Lehnert is pushing the case till the very end, saying that he wants to give justice to those foreigners who are still detained at the BI Detention Center in Bicutan, Taguig City either for humanitarian grounds or simple evaluation of the law. "The highlight of this case is Anti Graft court is, it is the first of that crime filed by a foreigner against a former government official, "he told Expat Newspaper.
Expat tried to reach former Commissioner Domingo for comments but the listed telephone numbers just kept on ringing.
