Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello. (File photo by DEXTER CABALZA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Taiwan’s announcement that it was suspending Filipinos’ visa-free privilege has caused confusion among travelers, prompting the country’s de facto envoy to clarify that it was just a misunderstanding. Silvestre Bello III, chief of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan, said Taiwan’s representative in the Philippines, Michael Pei-Yung Hsu, told him there may have been a misunderstanding in the announcement that was posted Sept. 6 in Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website. The notice stated that it was “temporarily suspending” visa-free entry for Chile, Dominican Republic, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Philippines and Russia. Travelers are advised to clarify the matter with the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office before purchasing airplane tickets. —TINA G. SANTOS