Solon backs halt in issuing visa on arrival to Chinese nationals

A lawmaker on Tuesday backed the move of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to temporarily stop issuing tourist visas on arrival to Chinese nationals to ensure that the country remains free from novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) cases.

"To be safe, I agree with the Bureau of Immigration, and I think the Chinese authorities will have nothing against it," Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor Defensor told reporters in a press conference.

"Kailangan tayong magtulungan dito hindi lang sa side nila, pati na rin sa side ng Pilipinas," he added.

According to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the BI is implementing such measure "to slow down travel, and possibly help prevent the entry of the 2019-nCoV."

Defensor said the government should go beyond barring Chinese nationals from entering the country.

"Kailangan natin ma-trace talaga. For example, marami kasing pumunta ng Wuhan tapos umuwi na ng Shanghai. During Chinese New Year, kung ikaw taga-Wuhan, uuwi ka talaga doon sa probinsya mo, at babalik ka sa trabaho. And many of them, kapag trinace mo, baka hindi nga sa Wuhan nag-aapply," he said.

The lawmaker, however, said there is no need to have Chinese nationals working in the Philippines, particularly those who work for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO), undergo test to determine whether they are infected with the 2019-nCoV.

"I don't think kailangan pa natin puntahan yung POGO areas to check, yung mga papasok lang," he said.

"If there are required testing... if need be, then I would support additional testing for those coming from China and Hong Kong. Dahil mayaman naman ang mga kumpanyang ito, they do their own checking amongst their employees, just to make sure," he added.

The Department of Health on Tuesday said that while there are no confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV yet in the country, 27 people are currently being monitored for possible infection of the virus. —LDF, GMA News