MANILA, Philippines- Magpapatupad ang Pilipinas ng electronic visas para sa foreign visitors starting sa ikatlong quarter ng kasalukuyang taon upang pabilisin ang visa application at processing, ayon sa Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nitong Miyerkules.
Sinabi ni Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jesus Domingo na bibigyang-daan ng e-Visa system sa bansa na makapag-apply “remotely” ang foreign nationals para sa akmang Philippine visas, sa pamamagitan ng personal computers, laptops, at mobile devices.
“This would make the visa application process faster, more efficient, and more convenient for foreign nationals who wish to visit the Philippines for touristic and business purposes,” pahayag ni Domingo sa isang press conference.
Iprinisenta ang e-Visa prototype kay Office of Consular Affairs Assistant Secretary Henry Bensurto, Jr., sa pulong sa Home Office sa Manila ng Philippine heads ng diplomatic posts at consulates sa China nitong linggo.
Pinangunahan ang nasabing meeting nina Domingo, pinuno ng DFA Office of Civilian Security and Consular Affairs, at Bensurto.
Dinaluhan ito nina Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime Florcruz, Consul General Dinno Oblena (Philippine Embassy in Beijing), Consul General Josel Ignacio (Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai), Consul General Marshall Louis Alferez (Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou), Consul General Flerida Anne Camille Mayo (Philippine Consulate General in Chongqing), Consul General Porfirio Mayo, Jr. (Philippine Consulate General in Macau), Consul General Raly Tejada (Philippine Consulate General in Hongkong), at Consul General Maria Antonina Mendoza-Oblena (Philippine Consulate General in Xiamen).
Kasalukuyang dini-develop ng DFA katuwang ang Department of Information and Communications Technology, nilalayon ng Philippine e-Visa “to make use of technology to facilitate the entry of legitimate visitors to the country.”
Nakatakda itong ilunsad sa ikatlong quarter ng 2023, ayon kay Domingo.
“The launch of the e-Visas is part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s policy to significantly enhance and transform the Philippine tourism industry with the view of increasing tourist arrivals in 2023 and beyond.”
Sinai nina Domingo at Bensurto na malaki ang magiging benepisyo ng bagong e-Visa system sa mga bisita mula sa China, isa sa top sources ng foreign tourists sa bansa.
Sa kasalukuyan, kailangang in-person ang pag-aapply ng Chinese tourists ng visa sa embahada o konsulado sa China.
Mula nang muling buksan ang outbound tourism para sa Chinese nationals noong February, ang Philippine diplomatic posts sa China “have been operating beyond their full capacity to process and issue visas to Chinese nationals in accordance with existing Philippine visa regulations and policies,” ayon kay Domingo.
Target ng Department of Tourism ang 1.7 milyong Chinese tourist arrivals ngayong taon.
“It is in our interest to generate income through more tourist arrivals into the country as part of our economic policy, but on the other hand, we are aware that we also have to be mindful of the possible security implications,” pahayag ni Bensurto. RNT/SA
