Visa-free US trip? Do not believe it, says consulate

Screengrab from https://adobochronicles.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, United States of America, advised the public Wednesday against a satirical news article announcing the US’s “no visa” policy for Filipinos.

“There is no truth to what appears to be an online news report that the United States has announced a ‘no visa’ policy for Filipinos,” the consulate said in a statement quoting the Philippine Embassy in the US.

“The Embassy has been in touch with the US Department of State, which has denied making such an announcement. The Embassy reminds the public that the online news article is a satirical piece that should not be taken seriously,” it said.

The satirical article, posted on website “The Adobo Chronicles” on April 22, said that “Visas will no longer be required to travel to the United States [for Filipinos].”

The article cited a 2013 study conducted by the Pew Research Center which found that a huge majority of Filipinos have a favorable view of the US and American citizens.

“U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said that the State Department made this monumental decision as a way to reward the Filipinos for making the U.S. really look good in the survey,” the article said.

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