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ASEAN unified visa system risky; Mindanao solon sounds warning
Manila Bulletin
|May 22, 2025
The proposed participation of the Philippines in the planned Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) unified visa system "will pose greater risk to our national security and interest our people and our society than the present set-up," Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez warned on Wednesday, May 21.
The envisioned ASEAN visa system is similar to the Schengen visa in Europe.
In a statement, Rodriguez urged President Marcos to direct Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco to withdraw her agency's support for the unified visa system.
Why? It could pave the way for the entry of more foreign spies in the country, Rodriguez claimed.
"This will allow Chinese tourists who are actually spies to get ASEAN visas in Chinese client states like Cambodia and Laos, or even the liberal visa granted by Thailand to Chinese citizens, to come to the Philippines and they will automatically be admitted under the ASEAN visa scheme.
This story is from the May 22, 2025 edition of Manila Bulletin.
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