President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday tasked concerned government agencies to expand the grant of e-visa for Chinese, Indian, South Korean, and Japanese nationals.
The Presidential Communications Office said the President issued the directive following his consultation with the Private Sector Advisory Council Tourism Sector group in Malacañang Palace.
Acting on the extension of e-visa, PCO said, is one of the recommendations put forward by PSAC to capture the tourism markets of these countries.
The Department of Tourism is targeting 4.8 million tourist arrivals for the year 2023 to generate P2.58 trillion in revenue.
PSAC recommended the inclusion of Indian nationals under the visa-upon-arrival program and the extension of e-visa. As of now, it is only available to Chinese, Indian, South Korean, and Japanese nationals and Taiwanese citizens.
According to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the Department of Foreign Affairs is collaborating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology on the new program.
The foreign affairs official added that other citizens such as Americans, Japanese, Australian, Canadians, and Europeans could have a 14-day visa upon arrival.