By Zsarlene B. Chua
Reporter

THE implementation of visa-free travel to Taiwan hinges on how soon the Marawi clashes will end, according to Taiwan’s official post in Manila.

“The crisis in Marawi is one of the considerations,” Gary Song-Huann Lin, representative of the Taiwan Economic Cooperation Office (TECO) in Manila, said at a luncheon with reporters on Monday, July 10.

“We are reviewing the administrative and security procedures to ensure that people like [Abu Sayyaf terrorist Isnilon] Hapilon don’t enter Taiwan,” he added.

Hapilon has links with the Islamic State and had been at the forefront of the Marawi siege also led by the Maute group in efforts to establish a “caliphate” in Southeast Asia.

The military campaign against the Maute group is believed to be winding down but has dragged on for almost two months, despite a state of martial law in Mindanao that is set to end this month.

Despite concerns about the siege, Mr. Lin said this would not affect Taiwanese tourist arrivals in the Philippines.

“I assured the Taiwanese that the siege is an isolated case and the fighting (is) only in four barangays now. Other areas are not affected,” he said.

“I’m sure the Marawi situation will not last long,” he added.

Mr. Lin hopes they can push through with visa-free implementation by September, or at least within the year.

Last year, 200,000 Taiwanese tourists came to the Philippines up 30% from 2015, according to TECO.

Department of Tourism (DoT) statistics for May 2017 showed Taiwan as the fifth largest market with 22,429 arrivals, 23.67% higher than in May the previous year.

South Korea remains the country’s largest tourism market with 128,691 arrivals in May (up 35.4% from the same period last year), followed by the US with 83,056 arrivals in May (up 12.78%)

In comparison, 170,000 Filipinos visited Taiwan in 2016, up from 130,000 in 2015.

Mr. Lin said they are expecting the number of Taiwanese visitors to the Philippines and vice-versa to increase with the introduction of Taiwan’s “Southbound” policy.

Visa-free travel is part of this policy, as announced by President Tsai Ing-Wen, last year, with the aim of strengthening the Taiwanese economy and its relations with the member-states of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), South Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

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