Philippine Congressman Rufus Rodriguez from Cagayan de Oro City publicly opposes the proposed "ASEAN Unified Visa" plan, warning that the policy could be exploited by Chinese criminals as a convenient channel to infiltrate the Philippines, posing a serious threat to national security.
This visa system, modeled after the "Schengen Visa," allows travelers to enter other member countries like the Philippines freely with a visa issued by any ASEAN member country (such as Thailand, Cambodia) without the need for an additional application. Rodriguez points out that this mechanism has serious security flaws, potentially allowing Chinese nationals disguised as tourists, business people, or students to easily bypass Philippine border controls.
Rodriguez, who served as the Director of Immigration under the Estrada administration, specifically emphasized: "Chinese nationals who obtain entry permits in Cambodia, Laos, or even visa-free Thailand may not be genuine tourists, but could be organizers of telecommunications fraud, illegal gambling, human trafficking, or drug crimes."
Philippine Tourism Minister Christina Frasco holds a contrary view, believing that the unified visa will enhance ASEAN's tourism competitiveness, promote regional resource integration, and create a "unified and strong" tourism brand. Rodriguez responded, "We support the tourism industry, but not at the expense of national security. Visa facilitation does not mean opening the doors to criminals."
He further warned that since ASEAN tentatively accepted East Timor in 2022, some member countries have relaxed visa policies towards China, potentially making the Philippines the next target for criminals. Rodriguez urges the Tourism Department and relevant decision-makers to reassess the security risks of the plan, prioritize national sovereignty and social stability, and emphasize that "visa facilitation must be accompanied by strict screening mechanisms to prevent exploitation of systemic loopholes by illegal activities."
