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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DFA nixes visa hurdles behind Chinese travelers decline

DFA nixes visa hurdles behind Chinese travelers decline

Published Sep 6, 2025 02:29 pm
A man holds the flags of China and the Philippines. (AP Photo)
A man holds the flags of China and the Philippines. (AP Photo)
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday, Sept. 6, maintained that visa requirements on Chinese nationals did not result in the decline of tourist arrivals from China.
This was after Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said that Chinese tourist arrivals went down last year because of the more stringent visa requirements and the suspension of the electronic visa (e-visa) program.
DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona told the media that the visa requirements intend to ensure “legitimate travelers” can visit the country.
“In line with its economic diplomacy mandate, the DFA shares the vision of the DOT in enhancing tourist arrivals and strengthening the tourism industry. Our Foreign Service Posts continue to implement tourism promotion activities in this regard,” she said.
“Visa requirements do not serve to prevent the entry of legitimate tourists; instead, they are intended precisely to assist the country in ensuring that legitimate travelers are given visas to enter the Philippines,” the official added.
Frasco, during the DOT’s recent budget hearing before the House Committee on Appropriations, said that her agency’s failure to meet the projected tourist arrivals from China was caused by the suspension of the electronic visa (e-visa) program and the “stricter and more stringent documentary requirements” for regular visa applications.
The e-visa program for Chinese nationals was launched by the DFA to liberalize the issuance of visas, projecting that about two million visas can be approved within a span of one year.
However, the program was suspended amid the diplomatic tensions between Manila and Beijing because of the West Philippine Sea and the arrests of Chinese nationals involved in criminal activities.
Escalona, for the DFA’s part, said instead that the Foreign Affairs department will continue to work with the DOT and other relevant government agencies and the private sector “in enhancing tourist arrivals and facilitating the growth of the country's tourism sector.”
Frasco said the e-visa program for Chinese nationals would’ve brought in 2 million Chinese tourists, which could’ve brought the total arrivals to 7.9 million—higher than the projected 7.7 million.

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