Malacañang eases Taiwan visit ban for most government officials

Honor guards raise Taiwan’s flag on Democracy Boulevard at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei on May 23, 2024. FILE PHOTO/Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday released new guidelines easing the implementation of Executive Order (EO) No. 313, which prohibits all government officials from visiting Taiwan or receiving calls from visiting Taiwanese officials.

EO 313 was issued on December 17, 1987, under the term of the late former President Corazon Aquino.

It explicitly states that no Philippine government officials may visit Taiwan for official purposes, receive Taiwanese officials visiting the Philippines, or carry out any official activity relating to Taiwan without clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in recognition of the one-China policy.

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But under Memorandum Circular No. 82, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on April 15, the travel ban now applies only to the president, vice president, secretary of Foreign Affairs, and secretary of National Defense.

This move was to “further maximize opportunities for the development and expansion of the Philippines’ priority areas of investments,” according to the circular.

“Philippine government officials intending to visit Taiwan for economic, trade and investment purposes, shall travel using their ordinary passports and without using their official titles,” the circular read.

“Further, they are required to: (a) inform MECO [Manila Economic and Cultural Office] of the purpose of their visit prior to their departure; and (b) coordinate with MECO during their visit,” it also read.

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These officials will also be required to submit a report on their travel to MECO and the DFA.

Local government officials and/or agencies, through MECO, may receive delegations from Taiwan for economic, trade, and investment purposes.

However, they must inform MECO at least five days prior to the visit and submit a report to MECO and the DFA afterward.

The circular also said, “No agreements, memoranda of understanding, exchange of notes or similar documents shall be concluded with any Taiwanese organization or agency without clearance from the DFA and, as may be necessary, an authority to sign from OP [Office of the President].”