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FILIPINO
businessmen on Thursday called for a review of the
Bureau of Immigration’s (BI) visa-upon-arrival scheme,
and demanded that the program be implemented according
to its original intention—to give hassle-free access to
the country solely for legitimate foreign investors.
Edgardo
Lacson, the newly installed president of the Philippine
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), said the
memorandum of agreement (MOA) that they signed with the
immigration agency for the visa-upon-arrival program
clearly limits it to foreign businessmen actively
looking for opportunities in the Philippines.
The PCCI,
representing Philippine business, signed an agreement on
April 10, 2007, with the BI, the Board of Investments (BOI)
and the Foreign Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI)
for the implementation of the program.
Under
the MOA, the BI may issue temporary visitors’ visas (TVVs)
upon arrival to foreign businessmen at the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport, Mactan-Cebu International Airport
and Davao International Airport as endorsed by the BOI,
and as requested by the PCCI or the FCCI, which pertains
to the established chambers of commerce of various
countries operating in the country.
“It’s
not open to the public. We cannot just endorse anybody.
It’s only for businessmen and investors,” Lacson told
the BusinessMirror at the sidelines of the launch of
PCCI’s 34th Philippine Business Conference and Expo
Thursday at the Peninsula Manila.
Lacson
showed surprise over reports that the bureau is
according the program even to children. The bureau had
justified the visas by saying these children are
dependents of the “potential investors,” but Filipino
traders said business travelers normally don’t bring
along their children; and that the BI’s own circulars
accord that privilege to dependents of top officials of
multilateral agencies or companies operating in the
Philippines.
For his
part, Lacson also said the BI should not just issue the
TVVs to foreigners based on endorsements of some shady
groups.
Under
separate agreements it forged with the BOI and the
foreign chambers, the BI had listed among the conditions
for prearranged visas upon arrival the prior written
endorsements of the business chambers. The BI said these
chambers virtually guarantee they have prescreened the
potential investors and these are legitimate
businessmen.
Documents obtained by the BusinessMirror showed,
however, that the BI has issued visas to “potential
investors” even if these were endorsed by “friendship”
or community associations, and not chambers of commerce.
On the
part of the PCCI, Lacson said they are basing their
recommendations on the requests of their sister business
councils and chambers in other countries, as a safeguard
for keeping out unsavory characters.
The BI,
he said, should be careful in appointing the groups that
are authorized to make the endorsement so it will not be
abused.
Nonetheless, he praised the program’s good intentions in
drawing in business, and said that it is supposed to
stop human smuggling and irregularities—widely known to
mean extortion or shakedowns—in the issuance of visas to
foreign businessmen.
But,
Lacson said, “if there are bad eggs, we should weed them
out.”
For
example, Lacson said the BI’s decision to extend the
validity of visas granted under the scheme to three
years from the original 30 days as stipulated in the MOA
is a big mistake.
He noted
that 30 days is enough and that three years is too long
for a foreign businessman to find opportunities in the
country.
“If they
can’t find it in one year, they have no business staying
here,” Lacson said.
Anyway,
Lacson said the foreign businessmen can just come back
and reapply for visas should they require more time in
establishing business here.
Also,
Lacson said they can opt to secure a temporary Special
Investor Residents Visa, which is given to prospective
investors who would deposit $75,000 with the Land Bank
of the Philippines or Development Bank of the
Philippines, as proof of their goodwill and real intent
to invest in the country.
BI-issued orders for the grant of three-year visas to
hundreds of foreigners ahead of their arrival in the
country are also cited in a complaint filed against BI
chief Marcelino Libanan before the Office of the
Ombudsman. |
