FILE PHOTO: National flags are placed outside a room in Beijing, China, January 23, 2017. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/File Photo
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Embassy in Beijing’s Consul General Arnel Talisayon welcomed the Philippines’ move to require Chinese nationals to present their social insurance certificate when applying for visas, saying it ensures that only “legitimate travelers” are allowed into the country.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier announced that it will be implementing stricter visa issuance policies for Chinese visitors.
This, in light of discovery of fraudulently obtained passports and visas resulting in the illicit entry and overstay of foreign nationals in the Philippines.
“Visa regulations naman po, in general, are within the prerogative of a sovereign state. And as far as requirements are concerned, yun pong pagkuha ng kopya ng social security insurance dito sa Beijing — madali po siyang kunin,” said Talisayon during the Commission on Appointments’ meeting on Wednesday.
(Visa regulations, in general, are within the prerogative of a sovereign state. And as far as requirements are concerned, acquiring social security insurance in Beijing is easy.)
Talisayon faced members of the powerful congressional body, gearing for the approval of his nomination as Chief of Mission Class II.
“It’s something that is available online and it is something that we can also verify. In this case, mas mapapadali po ang assessment ng visa at mas madadagdagan po ang dokumento na pwede namin tingnan para masiguro na ang mga pupunta po [sa] Pilipinas ay mga lehitimong travelers,” he added.
(In this case, assessing visas will be much easier and there’ll be additional documents that we can check to ensure that only legitimate travelers will be allowed into the Philippines.)
The policy change transpired amid China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea, but the DFA clarified that it is “not necessarily related to other national security concerns” apart from the alarming proliferation of fake passports and visas being used for illicit activities.
READ: DFA to enforce stricter visa rules for the Chinese, cites Pogo crimes
“This is also for the good of the Chinese because again — itong mga Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators na nakalusot, who are their victims? Fellow Chinese. So it’s not necessarily related to other national security considerations,” said (DFA) Undersecretary Gary Domingo then.
(This is also for the good of the Chinese, because again — these Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators who were able to enter the country, who are their victims? Fellow Chinese. So it’s not necessarily related to other national security considerations.)