FOREIGN businessmen are again urging lawmakers to ease limits on the entry of professionals, saying this would open the economy to a wider talent pool.
In an August 19, 2011 letter to the Senate, the American Chamber of Commerce reiterated a call for reciprocity clauses in the Environmental Planning and Philippine Pharmacy Acts. This, it said, will allow professions in these areas to be practiced by foreigners from countries that open the same jobs to Filipinos.
The Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC), meanwhile, asked the chamber in an August 3, 2011 letter to consider changing other laws.
“There are 45 laws governing the practice of specific professions, and 40 contain ‘reciprocity’ provisions allowing foreigners to practice their profession in the Philippines, provided their countries of origin also allow Filipinos to practice these…,” the letter states.
The remaining five limit the practice of criminology, environmental planning, forestry, pharmacy and radiology to Filipino nationals, it said.
“We favor amendment of these laws…,” the JFC said, adding that the Supreme Court could also liberalize the practice of law.
Although the Constitution states “that the practice of all professions in the Philippines shall be limited to Filipino citizens,” it also offers the condition “save in cases prescribed by law.”
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Source: Business World, Aug. 29, 2011
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