Press Release
August 11, 2007

ROXAS CALLS FOR REVIEW OF NEW IMMIGRATION BUREAU ORDER
TOURIST VISA POLICY CONTRADICTS WAR ON TERROR

Senator Mar Roxas called on the Bureau of Immigration to review a recent order that allows foreigners to extend their temporary visitors visas to 16 months, saying this ran counter to the government's crackdown on terrorism.

"While we are all in favor of courting tourists to visit our country, we must be mindful that too much leniency is also not good for our national security," Roxas said.

The senator believes that immigration policies should also be attuned to global realities and local concerns such as the campaign against terror and transnational crimes. He noted efforts around the world to shore up defenses against terrorists and transnational criminal syndicates through immigration reforms and better security and intelligence efforts.

According to the senator, it is best to modernize and strengthen the BID and other frontline agencies that deal with tourists and foreign investors before government loosens its grip on tourist arrivals.

"I am willing to work together with Commissioner Libanan in pushing for reforms in light of our outdated immigration laws. Meanwhile, let us balance our zeal in boosting tourism with the overwhelming need to keep our people safe and protected."

Roxas also pointed out the irony in granting foreigners unhampered and therefore unaccountable freedom to stay in the country for more than a year while government wields the Human Security Act like a sword of Damocles on its people.

"I recall that the BID made it clear that countless foreign nationals were overstaying. Should we now, as a matter of policy, legitimize these overstaying foreigners, some of who have even managed to set up small businesses in the countryside, by declaring them almost as perpetual tourists?"

The Bureau's Memorandum Order, dated and made effective July 31, is intended to further promote tourism in the country, according to its Commissioner Marcelino Libanan.

According to the order, foreign nationals may extend their stay in the Philippines every two (2) months for up to 16 months without going through a process of approval. The extension of stay beyond 16 months up to 24 months will be assessed and approved by the Chief of the Immigration Regulation Division of the bureau, while an extension beyond 24 months will have to go through the Immigration commissioner.

Roxas said, "It's not enough to just attract tourists, we also need - at a certain point -- to determine the intentions and whereabouts of these tourists. The government is able to keep track of them whenever they apply for an extension of visa. By allowing them to stay for sixteen months in the country undetected and therefore unaccountable, we weaken our defenses against transnational crime and terror."

The Liberal Party solon voted against passage of the Human Security Act, previously known as the anti-terror bill. He said basic steps to enhance government's intelligence capabilities must be taken by the government before it even considers legalizing warrantless arrests and tapping of private information, as provided by the HSA. This includes connecting the computer and database systems of state agencies.

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