Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 29) — Guam is planning to hire around 10,000 to 15,000 Filipinos to help in the construction of new military bases on the island, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Thursday following his recent working visit to the United States.
Zubiri said Guamanian Congressman James Moylan informed him of the plan to convince the US national government to hire Filipinos for the construction project.
\”Many bases of the United States in Okinawa are closing shop and moving to Guam,\” he told a media briefing.
\”And because they are moving to Guam, Congressman Moylan is insisting to the US government that they hire Filipinos to construct the new bases, and they are looking for 10,000 to 15,000 Filipino workers to go to Guam and help build the bases, because they need the bases as soon as possible.\”
The US Marine Corps opened its first new base in 70 years in Guam last January, which will host 5,000 Marines currently stationed in the southern Japanese island of Okinawa starting 2024.
In 2012, former US President Barack Obama and the Japanese government worked out a deal to move out the Marines from Okinawa in a bid to ease the resentment towards the presence of American troops on the island.
\”They’ll discuss how to get the working visa. They are trying to get from the State Department approval to hasten the proceedings para magawa itong mga bases nila sa Guam (to build their bases in Guam) by Filipino workers,\” said Zubiri.
