MARIVELES, Bataan – A Chinese contractor of the second phase of the GN Power Plant which is undergoing construction here has under its employ 2,191 workers out of which 2,080 are Chinese, 92 Filipinos and 19 from other nationalities, the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB) said the other day.
AFAB information officer Hazel Ellorin said this was based on their record as of October 2018.
She said the second phase under GN Power Dinginin Ltd, has hired Shanghai Electric Power Corp., a Chinese contractor, and five Filipino contractors, in the construction phase of the coal-fired power plant.
The first phase, the 600 mgw-GN Power Mariveles, is already operational.
Filipino contractors have all-Filipino workers. Shanghai Electric mostly has Chinese workers as engineers, supervisors and other technical people being the main contractor on engineering, procurement and construction of GN Power Dinginin.
GN Power Dinginin itself has 189 workers of which 143 are Filipinos, three are Chinese and 41 from other nationalities, Ellorin said.
“Ang Shanghai Electric ang nagdala ng Chinese engineers and other technical people kasi technical knowledge and skills para sa construction and set up of the coal plant ang kailangan,” the information officer said.
Elloren said Shanghai Electric was accredited by AFAB and workers have Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) working visa and Alien Employment Permit from the main office of the Bureau of Immigration.
“Meaning, legal ang employment ng mga Chinese,” she said.
GN Power Dinginin is a 1,200-MGW coal power plant that reportedly started construction in barangay Alas-Asin, Mariveles about two years ago.