The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is set to cancel 48,782 alien visas of Chinese nationals who would be given 59 days to voluntarily leave the Philippines on their own instead of deporting them immediately.

These Chinese nationals used to work with the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) whose licenses to operate have been cancelled by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

In a press statement issued late afternoon Sunday, Oct. 2, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said the Bureau of Immigration (BI) “is currently verifying whether these Chinese Nationals are still in the country or have already left.”

Due to the large number of Chinese workers who lost their jobs, the DOJ said: “It was determined by the Bureau of Immigration, through Commissioner Norman Tansingco, that a more cost efficient and humanitarian approach would be to cancel the visas of the above-mentioned Chinese Nationals.”

“Instead of deporting them, the cancellation of alien visas would simply allow the Chinese Nationals to voluntarily exit the country within a non-extendible period of 59 days,” it said.

“It is only after the Chinese Nationals refuse to leave the country within the allowable period that summary deportation will be resorted to,” it stressed.

It assured that “the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are in close coordination to ensure a successful and smooth operation.”

The DOJ said it already has in its custody 372 Chinese nationals who are set to be deported after being arrested by law enforcement authorities.

It pointed out the importance of getting these Chinese nationals deported despite the possible effects to the economy and “given the many reports of murder, kidnapping and other criminal activities, the social cost of keeping illegal aliens heavily outweighs the projected effect it will have on the affected industries.”

It also said it will “coordinate with the National Economic team to counter any negative effects on the country.”