Stricter homeland security eyed

SENATOR Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay on Tuesday urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to make personal appearance at consular offices a nonnegotiable requirement for some categories applying for electronic visas.

She welcomed the pilot implementation of the Philippines’ first-ever e-visa, but also urged the agency to come up with better homeland security policies to avoid being circumvented by nontechnical loopholes. This would also lessen the probability of organized syndicates exploiting tour groups and junkets, she added.

“We welcome the implementation of e-visas not only to positively boost tourism, but also as our commitment to facilitate ease of travel,” Ms. Binay said in a statement.

But DFA and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency should refine national security policies to deter undesirable travelers from extralegally bypassing immigration laws, she said.

E-visa is the digital version of the standard visa that allows foreign travelers to enter a country for a specific period or purpose.

In lieu of physical holographic stamps or stickers on the passport, applicants instead receive an e-visa approval code that is linked to their passports.

Ms. Binay said digitalization should improve ease of travel without compromising national security. — Jan Jiminel Cacdac