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Stricter visa controls for Chinese
By Nidz Godino
"This is welcome development for BI," Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco said BI supports Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)'s plan to implement stricter rules for issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals.
DFA cited cases of fraudulently acquired visas and crimes related to Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO).
"We project there will be fewer exclusions, given that arriving tourists have been better filtered during their visa applications at Philippine posts abroad," he added.
DFA's move would provide another strong layer of protection against foreigners who might have intentions inimical to state security, he noted.
Based on BI data in 2023, 3,359 foreigners were denied entry. Majority had questionable purposes for travel and were tagged as likely to become public charge.
Of the number, 885 were citizens of China.
Based on previous news reports, there have been instances wherein POGOs were linked to crimes such as human trafficking, forcible abduction, homicide, illegal detention, kidnap-for-ransom, theft, robbery-extortion, serious physical injuries, swindling and grave coercion.
Tansingco believes stricter visa issuance would have little impact on country's tourism.
"Move is really just filtering out those undesirables that are trying to enter the country. Regular tourists need not be worried," he added.
In 2023, BI said Chinese nationals were fifth largest group of foreign tourists in 2023 with 246,179 tourist arrivals.
Ahead in the list were South Koreans with 1,467,051 arrivals, followed by Americans, Japanese and Australians.
Amid reported influx of Chinese students in the country, BI requested Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to call for high-level meeting of agency members to clarify role of each agency in permitting foreigners to study in the country.
Inter-Agency Committee on Foreign Students (IACFS) is scheduled to meet today to discuss the matter.
"We have requested high-level meeting to reiterate our previous requests for immediate joint inspections and for it to become regular conduct by IACFS given new developments in national security concerns," Tansingco said.
IACFS is chaired by CHED and member-agencies include BI, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), DFA and Department of Education.
"We will be supporting security assessments of NBI and NICA by providing them with initial data that can be used for investigations," Tansingco noted.
BI made request after Congress called for probe on number of Chinese students in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.
After reviewing its records, BI found that 1,516 Chinese were allegedly granted student visas in Cagayan and all were endorsed by undisclosed university.
As of April, BI noted that only 485 are currently enrolled, with only 96 onsite with student visas.
In 2023, BI issued 24,189 student visas to various nationalities, with 16,190 issued to Chinese nationals nationwide. Majority of them are in National Capital Region.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged DFA to impose stricter visa controls on Chinese nationals, whether they are students or POGO workers.
"I am urging DFA and our diplomatic posts in China to apply these stricter rules on all China's nationals applying for whatever type of visa, whether they are businessmen, tourists, workers, or students," he said.
Country must "be on lookout for Trojan horses among them," said Rodriguez, former immigration commissioner during former president Joseph Estrada's time.
POGOs and Chinese students enrolled in Cagayan schools have been suspected of spying for Chinese military, Rodriguez noted.
He also urged DFA, BI and CHED to conduct inventory of Chinese students in Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Cordillera Administrative Region and other parts of the country amid conflicting reports on their number.
CHED should probe if there is pattern of Chinese students migrating to areas near Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites, he said.
Meanwhile, Cagayan 3rd District Rep. Joseph Lara said influx of Chinese students began after government identified naval base in Sta. Ana town in Cagayan as additional site for EDCA activities, according to Rodriguez.
Another EDCA site in the region is military camp in Gamu, Isabela, Rodriguez noted.
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