“Guest workers are a vital part of CNMI, whether you acknowledge it or not. All of us are here because we are searching for better lives not only for ourselves but most especially for our families back home,” Tantiado said. She added that there’s nothing wrong with being a guest worker.
“Currently, an estimated 22,417 guest workers are scattered all over the CNMI occupying all kinds of posts, and it is undeniable that the island needs these guest workers to be able to go on with the daily operations,” Tantiado said.
She hopes that the CNMI will appreciate the presence of its guest workers.
“Most of the guest workers on the island left behind their families and children to look for a greener pasture in the CNMI,” she added.
“If all the guest workers will be pulled out of the island, could you imagine how the vacant slots they would leave behind be filled up to carry on with the day to day operations of all the businesses and households?” she said.
Tantiado said Filipinos make up the bulk of the total number of guest workers, while the rest are from Bangladesh, Korea, Japan, China, Nepal, Russia, Romania, Canada and other countries.
Tantiado said a huge majority of the guest workers in the CNMI had been here for the last five years.
She noted that a few thousand guest workers may have to go home and find employment somewhere else following the implementation of the CNMI federalization bill.
Tantiado said if only about 19,000 job vacancies will be needed then the rest of the currently listed guest workers may have no other choice but to go back to their countries.
