BY JEFFREY DAMICOG
Apr 8, 2024 08:51 AM
In March 2024, a total of 220 foreigners were denied entry to the Philippines for various reasons under the country's immigration law. Among those barred were 150 Vietnamese, 30 Chinese, and 14 Indonesians, the Bureau of Immigration (BIR) said in a statement issued on Monday, April 8.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said these foreigners were excluded after being found to likely become a public charge in violation of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.
"We leverage available data on past arrests and interceptions to identify individuals exhibiting similar travel behaviors," Tansingco said.
After being denied entry into the country, Tansingco said these foreigners were placed in the BI’s blacklist and barred from re-entering the Philippines in the future.
He stressed that the BI’s actions do not target specific nationalities.
In the case of the 150 Vietnamese, Tansingco said "the increase in entry denials stemmed from the increase in Vietnamese nationals found to be working in illegal online gaming hubs.”
