The Department of Tourism (DOT) is seeking to renew and eventually expand visa-free entry for Chinese tourists, arguing that tighter monitoring can address security concerns without shutting out legitimate visitors.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the immediate priority is to extend the existing 14-day visa-free arrangement covering arrivals through Manila and Cebu, which expires in December, before pursuing wider access to other destinations, particularly beach areas.
“You don’t throw the baby with the bathwater,” Mathay said when asked about concerns involving Philippine offshore gaming operators. “What you have to just do is parang strengthen your monitoring. Pero may mga legitimate talagang pumapasok.”
She urged the government to announce the extension early to give Chinese travelers certainty when planning holiday trips, particularly during peak travel periods in China.
“I was telling them, October 27, extend na natin,” she said. “I-announce niyo na, because gusto natin habulin yung mga tourist during their Chinese holidays.”
China has emerged as the Philippines’ fastest-growing market among its five leading sources of foreign visitors. Arrivals reached 394,384 as of November 4, up 69.78 percent from 232,299 in the same period last year, lifting China to fourth place from sixth.
Mathay credited visa-free entry with helping revive Chinese visitor traffic and said the DOT had submitted an economic paper supporting renewal. The agency is also preparing a broader proposal to extend the privilege to additional gateways and destinations.
The proposed extension still requires approval from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and consultations with other government agencies. Mathay said the foreign affairs secretary supports the initiative and has cited DOT data in discussions with other offices.
The tourism chief said the agency would welcome even a limited renewal covering Manila and Cebu, with the inclusion of one or two additional entry points considered a bonus.
“We’ll be happy with just an extension to Manila and Cebu in the beginning,” she said.
