President Rodrigo Duterte will consider the proposal of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to stop issuing visas to Chinese tourists, Malacañang said Thursday.
READ: Duterte: Let Chinese nationals work in PH
“The President will consider the proposal of the secretary. And if we don’t hear anything from him, that means that will be the policy of the government,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.
In a tweet posted Wednesday, Locsin made the suggestion after National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperson Jr. expressed concern over reports that about 100,000 to 250,000 Chinese workers are employed by Philippine online gambling operations.
READ: China envoy: Treat Chinese workers fairly
Senator Joel Villanueva ccused the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., which is mandated to regulate POGOs, of not properly implementing regulations.
READ: China rules out ‘tit-for-tat’ on workers’ issue
He said the Chinese influx in the country led to a “loss in government income and opportunities for Filipinos.”
“We need to put an end to visas upon arrival; all visas should be issued by consular offices after vetting. We must take extra care in outsourcing any part of the visa application process, picking only the most reputable worldwide,” Locsin wrote on Twitter.
Panelo also said foreigners might pose security threats but said the Palace would leave the matter to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“What’s important is to know how do they enter without us knowing. That’s more dangerous,” Panelo said.
He also said illegal Chinese nationals can simply be expelled for violating immigration laws.
Esperon earlier said there was a need to be “cautious” when foreigners, regardless of nationality, arrive in the country.
Recent surveys showed that many Filipinos distrust China.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, however, said there would be no problem if the Chinese nationals enter with proper documents, obey Philippine laws and pay taxes to the government.
“For as long as Chinese nationals are coming to our country with proper documentation and appropriate visas, there should be no problem,” Guevarra said, in a text message to reporters.
Recent data released by the Bureau of Immigration showed that 1,510 Chinese were deported to from 2016 to October 2018 for being undocumented aliens.
The BI data also showed that Chinese nationals topped the agency’s list of foreigners who have been arrested in 2018 for violating immigration laws.
Out of the total of 533 foreign nationals who were arrested last year 393 are Chinese nationals, followed by 52 Koreans, 12 Americans, and a number of Africans.
The figure is 326 percent higher than those apprehended in 2017.
Many of those arrested included overstaying aliens, illegal foreign vendors, and aliens illegally employed as construction workers, miners, and other blue collar jobs.
Data provided by the BI showed that Chinese nationals topped the list of foreign nationals who were prevented from entering the country last year for displaying rudeness and disrespect towards immigration officers.
Out of the 133 rude aliens who were barred from entering the country, 37 were Chinese nationals, followed by 25 Americans, and 23 Koreans.
“We surely welcome them us tourists. If they wish to work here, they should comply with all legal requirements such as securing alien employment certificate or AEC and work visas, and they should income taxes,” Guevarra said.