Single VISA Philippines with ASEAN will soon to be implemented

To entice more tourists to visit the Philippines, the Department of Tourism is supporting the move for a unified visa for foreigners traveling to countries that are part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

 

"The Philippines is one of the countries working hard for a unified ASEAN visa," Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said at the opening of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart in Manila on September 27.

 

He said that talks are already underway among member countries on how to implement a unified ASEAN visa similar to Europe's Schengen visa, which made traveling between the 25 member countries (22 European Union countries and 3 non-EU members) easier and less bureaucratic.

 

Jimenez said 5 countries are ready to implement the visa, listing: Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. But he said it would take the participation of a majority of the 10 nation group to get the scheme off the ground.

 

Easier to visit Philippines

 

Jimenez said the unified visa will make it easier for tourists traveling to the region to stop by the Philippines.

 

Jimenez maintains that the country has a smaller international visitor arrival figure relative to other ASEAN countries because the Philippines doesn't enjoy "a connection of contiguous land mass" that allows foreign visitors to drive across a border and be counted among international arrivals.

 

He stressed that the Philippines is working hard to bring in more foreign tourists, to streamline travel requirements, and to modernize the visa application processing.

 

He explained that the country is trying to position itself as a must-experience destination in Asia.

 

Under the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP), the country is trying to hit 10 million international visitor arrivals, employ 6.8 million workers in tourism and generate P1.9 trillion in tourism receipts by 2016.

 

The Philippines lags behind its regional neighbors in tourist arrivals. Data published on June 30 by ASEAN, put visitor arrivals for 2011 at:

 

1. Malaysia 24,714,300
2. Thailand 19,098,300
3. Singapore 13,171,300
4. Indonesia 7,649,700
5. Vietnam 6,014,000
6. Philippines 3,917,500
7. Cambodia 2,881,900
8. Lao PDR 2,723,600
9. Myanmar 816,400
10. Brunei Darussalam 242,100

 

Rappler 

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Saudi Arabia to resume issuing work visas for $200 Dollars Monthly Salary- Pinay domestic helpers

 

Following lengthy negotiations with Manila, Saudi Arabia may resume issuing working visas to Filipino domestic helpers in October, a Gulf News report said late Wednesday.

 

Gulf News quoted the Saudi Press Agency as saying the accord amends the employment contracts, required documents and attestations, and endorsement procedures.

 

Prince Khalid Bin Saud Bin Khalid was quoted in the report as saying the Saudi embassy in Manila and the technical committees from both countries reached a bilateral agreement on the issue.

 

Around 1.2 million Filipinos work in Saudi Arabia, which is home to 19 million Saudi nationals and eight million foreigners.

 

According to the report, the accord will not clash with the Kingdom's laws, and will not affect the rights and privacy of Saudi citizens.

 

Prince Khalid added the foreign and labor ministries are working to ease the recruitment visa procedures while preserving the rights of the Saudi employer and the expatriate employee.

 

In Manila, Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Abdullah Al Hassan said all Filipinos who wish to be employed as domestic workers can secure a working visa "in a month's time."

 

"There is no problem concerning the resumption of the opening of working visa for household workers," he said.

 

He added he was able to meet recently with Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

 

"We were able to resolve all issues relevant to the resumption of working visa for household workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Al Hassan said.

 

Riyadh suspended in June 2011 the processing of employment contracts of Filipinos following a disagreement with Manila over wages.

 

The Philippines wanted a $400 (Dh1,468) monthly salary, but Saudi Arabia thought the request was too high and reportedly suggested a $200 monthly in minimum pay.

 

Officials from the two countries have worked on a compromise for almost a year.

 

Meanwhile, Vice President Jejomar Binay welcomed the breakthrough.

 

"Definitely, this will be good news for all of our overseas Filipino workers," Binay said.

 

Meanwhile, the Saudi ambassador said an arrangement would be made before Riyadh could resume issuing visas.

 

"Both sides have to make arrangements for the resumption of issuing working visas for household workers, and we expect that it will not take a longer time than a month's time," he said.

 

GMA News

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