The head of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association is urging Philippine authorities to weigh the pros and cons of stricter visa controls for Chinese tourists.

DFA eyes stricter visa policies for Chinese nationals visiting PH

Speaking to TeleRadyo Serbisyo, PTAA president Mariegel Manotok said any new visa requirement should take into consideration the potential benefit for both sides. Stricter visa requirements will have an impact on tourism, she said, but noted the government is only doing its job. 

“We really need to emphasize the importance of not jeopardizing our tourism industry. Siyempre the government has a duty to its people, our country. May alternatives naman po ‘yun. If the Chinese tourists are less, we can focus on other markets,” she said. 

She urged authorities to further explain the need for stricter requirements for Chinese nationals to show “that we are also thinking of their benefit as well.” 

“We should not generalize…there might be some biases that we need to explain well,” she said, adding that there are many Chinese tourists who want to visit the country. 

DFA Undersecretary Jesus “Gary” Domingo earlier said the agency is crafting a stricter visa policy that would require applicants to submit a social insurance certificate, on top of other necessary documents, with the goal of weeding out possible troublemakers from legitimate tourists and travelers.

This comes amid a growing of instances where visa applicants from China would submit fraudulent documents, which the DFA said have been denied.

“A major challenge is the submission of fraudulent, fake documents, particularly from the China side, especially IDs, bank statements and certificates of employment. Fixers brazenly advertise such things on WeChat,” said Domingo.

Solon wants stricter visa controls for Chinese applying as students, POGO workers