The US House of Representatives' subcommittee on insular affairs will hold a field hearing in Guam on Monday to tackle the impact of the planned military buildup in this American territory.
"The hearing will provide (us) with a unique opportunity to hear from a diverse array of voices and gain a better understanding into efforts currently underway to prepare the community for the approaching military buildup on the island," said Rep. Donna M. Christensen of Virgin Islands, who chairs the subcommittee.
The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the University of Guam's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Lecture Hall. It is open to the public.
By 2010, some 8,000 US military and their some 9,000 relatives are moving to Guam from Okinawa, Japan. Military estimates showed the transfer means an infusion of $10.27 billion in defense-related projects for the island.
Philippine Consul General in Guam Bayani S. Mercado viewed this as a "positive development for it presents numerous employment opportunities for the Filipino workers and the Filipino-American community."
The military expansion is expected to boost Guam's economy. In the construction sector alone, income is seen to triple to $3 billion from the $800 million, which is the highest figure Guam has posted.
The relocation of soldiers and their families and the deployment of additional military materiel to Guam calls for the construction of housing facilities and other basic infrastructure.
This means between 12,000 to 30,000 additional workers are needed.
"Considering its geographical proximity to the island, the Philippines with its English-speaking, highly trained professionals and skilled workers presents a viable source of manpower for Guam," Mercado said.
However, Mercado pointed out: "One of the concerns is the question of how to bring additional Filipino workers to Guam with the existing visa cap on H-2 workers."
Under the present setup, the US government only grants 66,000 in H-2b workers visa annually.
H-2b visa is a working visa which allows one to enter the US in a temporary basis and work in non-agricultural employment. It is usually given to skilled and unskilled workers. "Unless a new legislation will be passed or a new policy will be declared increasing the said quota, Guam cannot expect to be allocated its full visa requirement for the needed workers," the consul general said.
Mercado said there are discussions about the proposed issuance of "Guam-only visas." This could be similar to what the US Department of Interior has suggested to happen in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
"The administration is examining what policy changes, if any, will be necessary to ensure that there is an adequate supply of labor for the Guam buildup," said US Department of Interior's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs David B. Cohen.
Cohen's office months ago drafted a CNMI federalized immigration bill which calls for a CNMI-only guest worker program.
Currently, there is no special labor arrangement between Guam and the Philippines, although Mercado said, discussions have been made on this subject when officials of Philippine Overseas Employment Agency visited in November 2006.
Based on the Consulate's estimates, there are about 14,000 Filipino workers in Guam, 70 percent of whom are engaged in health and medicine, engineering, accountancy, information technology as well as hotel services and construction-related work.
Filipino-Americans in Guam comprise around 42,000 or 26 percent of Guam's total population. - GMANews.TV
"The hearing will provide (us) with a unique opportunity to hear from a diverse array of voices and gain a better understanding into efforts currently underway to prepare the community for the approaching military buildup on the island," said Rep. Donna M. Christensen of Virgin Islands, who chairs the subcommittee.
The hearing will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the University of Guam's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Lecture Hall. It is open to the public.
By 2010, some 8,000 US military and their some 9,000 relatives are moving to Guam from Okinawa, Japan. Military estimates showed the transfer means an infusion of $10.27 billion in defense-related projects for the island.
Philippine Consul General in Guam Bayani S. Mercado viewed this as a "positive development for it presents numerous employment opportunities for the Filipino workers and the Filipino-American community."
The military expansion is expected to boost Guam's economy. In the construction sector alone, income is seen to triple to $3 billion from the $800 million, which is the highest figure Guam has posted.
The relocation of soldiers and their families and the deployment of additional military materiel to Guam calls for the construction of housing facilities and other basic infrastructure.
This means between 12,000 to 30,000 additional workers are needed.
"Considering its geographical proximity to the island, the Philippines with its English-speaking, highly trained professionals and skilled workers presents a viable source of manpower for Guam," Mercado said.
However, Mercado pointed out: "One of the concerns is the question of how to bring additional Filipino workers to Guam with the existing visa cap on H-2 workers."
Under the present setup, the US government only grants 66,000 in H-2b workers visa annually.
H-2b visa is a working visa which allows one to enter the US in a temporary basis and work in non-agricultural employment. It is usually given to skilled and unskilled workers. "Unless a new legislation will be passed or a new policy will be declared increasing the said quota, Guam cannot expect to be allocated its full visa requirement for the needed workers," the consul general said.
Mercado said there are discussions about the proposed issuance of "Guam-only visas." This could be similar to what the US Department of Interior has suggested to happen in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
"The administration is examining what policy changes, if any, will be necessary to ensure that there is an adequate supply of labor for the Guam buildup," said US Department of Interior's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs David B. Cohen.
Cohen's office months ago drafted a CNMI federalized immigration bill which calls for a CNMI-only guest worker program.
Currently, there is no special labor arrangement between Guam and the Philippines, although Mercado said, discussions have been made on this subject when officials of Philippine Overseas Employment Agency visited in November 2006.
Based on the Consulate's estimates, there are about 14,000 Filipino workers in Guam, 70 percent of whom are engaged in health and medicine, engineering, accountancy, information technology as well as hotel services and construction-related work.
Filipino-Americans in Guam comprise around 42,000 or 26 percent of Guam's total population. - GMANews.TV
