00:00 about the tourists who are expected to be added to the Bermond's and an update on the Philippine electronic visa.
00:10 That is what we will discuss with Deputy Spokesperson Melvin Mabulac of the Bureau of Immigration.
00:17 Good afternoon to you, sir.
00:20 Good afternoon, Ma'am Nina and Ma'am Eunice. Good afternoon to all the viewers and listeners.
00:26 Sir, what are you expecting from the Bermond's as far as the number of visitors or tourists to the country for the next few months?
00:35 We are expecting the surge of visitors to our country as early as June, the first six months of the year.
00:45 We've already recorded more than 2 million tourists and we're expecting that when the Bermond's arrives,
00:52 it will increase considering that we know that when we celebrate holiday season during Bermond's,
00:59 we are really getting more visitors from different countries and our fellow countrymen who want to come here to the Philippines.
01:05 It seems that you will be able to exceed the target of visitors this year.
01:10 In your data, how is the number of tourists now compared to the time of the pandemic or last year?
01:19 Yes, we saw that we already saw the previous record of visitors and we are expecting as we go along,
01:28 now, it's just September, the Bermond's is just starting,
01:31 we are already getting more visitors, our borders are already full, the international ports are arriving,
01:39 we are preparing for immigration so that we can give a fair process to the visitors to our country.
01:50 Okay, Sir Melvin, aside from their families, what are the other reasons for the rise of visitors to the country during this time?
02:00 This is a revenge travel.
02:02 We have to understand that after many years, two years, they really couldn't travel
02:08 and they saw that this is the right time to see their families,
02:12 they went home and they also experienced the unique celebration of Christmas, the holiday here in our country.
02:20 Speaking of Christmas, Sir Melvin, what are your preparations as early as now for the increase of people during Christmas?
02:29 Yes, our people at the airport, we have to ensure that our counters are full at the same time.
02:38 When November and October arrives, we will suspend the issue of the leave of our people to ensure that our people there are complete.
02:51 At the same time, this October, we have new training, new immigration officers that we will also implement in our borders nationwide.
03:01 Sir, speaking of congestion in our borders, especially when December arrives,
03:09 what are our preparations in our borders to avoid congestion and to maintain its continuous flow?
03:18 In coordination with our airport's authority, they are giving additional counters.
03:25 And when we have counters, we can see that even if the passenger falls, our immigration officers will immediately process it.
03:36 And we are asking the public as well, considering that this is a passenger season,
03:41 this is a peak season, that they have to be early in our borders because when they enter the airport, there is already traffic going to the check-in.
03:50 There is already traffic and we already know that when they enter the immigration,
03:54 there is only one hour or 45 minutes before the departure, the airplane will close.
04:01 That's why we are asking the public, the traveling public to be early as well.
04:05 Sir, we have a question from our media partner, Job Manahan of ADSC-Denews.
04:13 What is the reaction of the BI to the OTS screener that has been embezzled money?
04:19 Are your staff being screened regularly, sir?
04:23 On the part of the immigration, our mandate is to verify and check the documents.
04:29 In the OTS, their mandate is to check the baggage. The nature of the work is a bit different.
04:37 But in immigration, we are ensuring the public that our commissioner's directive is very strict
04:43 to ensure that all the work is done correctly and we will not tolerate any illegal activity that our people will do.
04:52 Because it is the very month, we are also asking for an update on the Philippine electronic visa.
05:00 Yes, on the Philippine electronic visa. This is also related to the government's project,
05:06 particularly the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is soft-launching in China.
05:11 This is the first one that came to us, our commissioner is there to welcome them.
05:18 And as we go along, we have many consulates, embassies that will have operational e-visas
05:27 and it will help to reduce the hassle of those who want to come to our country,
05:34 especially the tourists who have a visa required.
05:38 How many foreign nationals are currently using or applying for this?
05:46 I don't have statistics here, but we saw that this is just a soft-launching in China.
05:51 We saw that more and more are using it.
05:55 And we are very happy because the hassle that they experienced is less
06:00 because they can apply for a visa at home through the services of our government.
06:11 Sir Melvin, based on your assessment, what are the challenges that the Bureau is facing now,
06:18 not just the e-visa you are mentioning, especially now that people are coming to the country using e-visas?
06:26 It is very important for us to be able to inform the public so that they can utilize it.
06:32 It is a waste because this is a good project and it is a challenge on our part,
06:37 but we are working with our partners, government agencies,
06:41 to inform the tourists who want to come here to utilize this
06:47 so that we can improve our image and make it easier to obtain visas
06:55 so that when they come to the Philippines, they will have a good experience.
07:03 What do they need to prepare for those who want to apply for an e-visa?
07:07 It is very important, of course, their validity of their passport.
07:11 It should be six months.
07:13 They have supporting documents, IDs that they need to show.
07:19 And if we need to check the requirement, we go to the website of visa.gov.ph
07:26 where we can check the requirements that they want to present and that our government requires.
07:33 Sir, lastly, do you have any messages and reminders to our countrymen
07:39 especially the issue of requirements when they will leave the country?
07:45 Yes, to our countrymen, immigration is being implemented
07:49 according to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Anti-Trafficking Act of 2012
07:55 where immigration is required to implement strict departure policy.
08:01 And in our implementation, there should be guidelines that not anyone should abuse.
08:07 That's why if you are a Filipino who wants to go abroad,
08:13 the basic requirement is that you should have a visa.
08:16 If visa is required, the passport is valid, there is a return ticket.
08:20 At the same time, you should have a boarding pass to be represented in immigration.
08:26 If you are consistent in your statements and documents, you will be continuously processed.
08:33 And if you need further verification, you may be interviewed.
08:37 But we have to understand, the total number of strict departure assessments
08:45 did not reach 5%. Below 5% is what we refer for further verification.
08:53 And what is not allowed, it did not reach 0.6%.
08:57 This is part of the mandate of immigration.
09:00 We are doing this in accordance with the program and the law of RA 10364.
09:06 Okay, thank you very much for your time, Deputy Spokesperson Melvin Mabulak of the Bureau of Immigration.
09:14 immigration.
09:15 Maraming salamat po, mabuhay po kayo.
09:16 [Music]
09:16 but we're able to do it.
