MANILA - Detained Senator Leila de Lima has urged the Senate to investigate an alleged "influx" of Chinese nationals in the Philippines.

The immigration surge "not only steals jobs away from ordinary Filipinos but also triggers property surge on many developed areas," De Lima's office said in a statement.

De Lima filed Senate Resolution 751 to assess the implementation of immigration and labor laws to ensure that Filipinos are protected against the supposed influx, her office said.

The number of Chinese travelers to the Philippines grew by 54.43 percent last year, resulting to 371,429 visitors in the first quarter of 2018 alone, De Lima's office said, citing the Department of Tourism’s Annual Visitor Sample Survey.

The labor department, the office added, also noted a 33.4-percent increase in the Alien Employment Permits (AEP) granted to foreign nationals intending to engage in employment in the Philippines.

The rise in AEP issuance means "there is a number of available jobs in the Philippines, even while Filipinos continue to seek opportunities abroad and unemployment remains a concern," De Lima said in the statement.

De Lima also flagged the Duterte administration's supposed grant of licenses to some 50 offshore gambling firms, whose 200,000 predominantly Chinese workers have allegedly been arriving since late 2016.

The real estate market may price out Filipinos out of their homes, especially in areas near businesses that heavily employs Chinese nationals, like casinos and resorts, said the senator.