Dumaguete Info Search


BoI Info Things that make you go - hmmmmmmm

Discussion in 'Passports and Visas' started by Nutz2U2, Feb 9, 2016.

  1. Nutz2U2

    Nutz2U2 DI Member Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    203
    Trophy Points:
    115
    Location:
    Cadawinonan, Dumaguete
    Ratings:
    +269 / 29
    • The ASEAN will be implementing a single visa system for all of its member-nations
    • The scheme will allow visitors to easily access any country within the region
    • Regional officials say that the project’s aim is to boost tourism in ASEAN countries
    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will be implementing a single visa system that will enable tourists visiting any member-country to easily travel towards other destinations within the region.

    In an article written by Samuel Mendenilla for Manila Bulletin on January 23, it was disclosed that the regional organization of countries has recently launched the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) for 2016 to 2025 that aims to boost tourism in Southeast Asia by coming up with a unified visa system.

    To implement the single visa, we have to share data [with other ASEAN countries and] we have to work [in integrating] our system. In other words, we [need to] match our data system with theirs,” Sec. Ramon Jimenez Jr. of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said during the ASEAN Tourism Forum at the SMX Convention Center in Manila.

    According to the ATSP, all ASEAN member-nations will be seen as a single destination, wherein foreign visitors will only need to undergo a single process that will be valid and honored in any of the countries within the region.

    To work towards the vision for ASEAN tourism over the next decade, it will be necessary to complete and continue existing initiatives such as the marketing of ASEAN as a single destination,” the executive summary of the forum stated.

    The 10-year plan, which was broken down into two terms, lists strategic actions such as intensifying promotion and marketing, diversifying tourism products, attracting tourism investment, raising the capacity and capability of human capital, and implementing and expanding ASEAN standards for facilities, services, and destinations.

    Apart from these, plans in implementing and expanding connectivity and destination infrastructure, enhancing travel facilitation, upgrading local communities and public-private sector participation in the value chain, ensuring safety and security, prioritizing protection and management of heritage sites, and increasing responsiveness to environmental protection and climate change are also included.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
  2. TheDude

    TheDude DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster

    Messages:
    1,907
    Trophy Points:
    351
    Ratings:
    +1,465 / 822
    There goes the lax tourist visa in the Philippines. It wouldn't take much to clear a ton of expats out of here. Bumping the number of visa runs per year would take care of that nicely since it's more of a pain and more expensive to jump on a plane.
     
  3. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

    Messages:
    13,106
    Trophy Points:
    451
    Occupation:
    FIRE
    Location:
    Valencia
    Ratings:
    +16,069 / 3,795
    Blood Type:
    O+
    Let's hope that 10 year plan is in Filipino time. :wink:
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Funny Funny x 1
  4. nwlivewire

    nwlivewire DI Senior Member Showcase Reviewer Blood Donor Veteran Army Navy

    Messages:
    707
    Trophy Points:
    196
    Occupation:
    RETIRED
    Ratings:
    +715 / 91
    Blood Type:
    A+
    ASEAN Membership: 10 States —​

    Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. One Observer — Papua New Guinea.

    Can someone please help me understand what this could really mean?

    What are some of the plusses and minuses of this ASEAN Visa thing for a non-citizen who holds a three-year SRRV with the RP?

    V/R,
    nwlivewire
     
  5. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

    Messages:
    13,106
    Trophy Points:
    451
    Occupation:
    FIRE
    Location:
    Valencia
    Ratings:
    +16,069 / 3,795
    Blood Type:
    O+
    It seems that what they are trying to do is create an ASEAN "Schengen Area". I am not 100% sure but I believe that European countries in the Schengen area use that as a visa for people staying on short stays only (up to 3 months?) but I believe that each country still maintains their own immigration laws for people retiring, studying and working in Europe.

    This "single visa system" seems to only be directed towards tourists (and citizens of ASEAN countries). I don't think this would change anything for retirement/student/work visas in the Philippines.

    I also don't think that ASEAN countries will be able to agree on how long the tourist visa should even be and I'm almost certain they aren't going to be able to agree which countries outside of ASEAN will be able to be easily approved for these visas (just have a look at the huge difference in tourist visa requirements and lengths for these countries).

    Another potential problem I see: Europe, while it has many different cultures, all share the same/similar types of government (democracy), economic (free market), social (mostly with strong social programs) ideologies. They also have a, mostly, shared religious history (Christianity) and all have similar allies (NATO). Now go take a look at the countries in the ASEAN lineup:
    • Brunei: Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy - Mostly free market - SPI world rank N/A - Muslim 79% (official religion)
    • Cambodia: Constitutional monarchy - Open market - SPI world rank 99 - Buddhist 97% (official religion)
    • Indonesia: Republic - Mixed economy (largest in SWA) - SPI world rank 86 - Muslim 87%
    • Laos: Communist controlled "democracy" - Mixed communist/free market - SPI rank 102 - Buddhist 67%
    • Malaysia: Constitutional monarchy - Free market - SPI rank 46 - Muslim 61% (official religion) Buddhist 20%
    • Myanmar (Burma): Parliamentary government (Since 2011) - Recently changed to civilian/free market - SPI rank 119 - Buddhist 90%
    • Philippines: Republic - Free market - SPI rank 64 - Catholic 83% (FYI: Muslims only make up 5% of the population.)
    • Singapore: Parliamentary republic - Free market - SPI rank N/A - Buddhist 33.9%, Muslim 14.3%, Taoist 11.3%, Catholic 7.1%
    • Thailand: Constitutional monarchy - Free market - SPI rank 57 - Buddhist 94% (official religion)
    • Vietnam: Communist controlled "democracy" - Mixed communist/free market - SPI rank N/A - None 80.8% (:cautious:?)
    and then there is:
    • Papua New Guinea: Constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm (:o o:?!) - Ummm...???.... - SPI rank....nope - lol CIA says: Roman Catholic 27%, Protestant 69.4% (Evangelical Lutheran 19.5%, United Church 11.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, Pentecostal 8.6%, Evangelical Alliance 5.2%, Anglican 3.2%, Baptist 2.5%, other Protestant 8.9%), Baha'i 0.3%, indigenous beliefs and other 3.3% (2000 census) :bucktooth:

    Sources:
    Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence Agency
    Social Progress Index - Data - Social Progress Index - The Social Progress Imperative (Best I could come up with for social programs/welfare. Sorry)

    Note:
    In Malaysia the Sabah and Sarawak retain right to maintain their own immigration controls.....further complicating any ASEAN Schengen style visa plans.

    These countries share very little political/economic/social/religious ideology.....other than most have some type of beef with China. Each ASEAN country also differs greatly in the "type" of tourist they want. On top of this the region has a big problem with human trafficking.....add those problems to the huge cultural and political differences and a Schengen type visa setup would most likely create more problems than it resolved.

    However, if something like this was passed (and the Philippines did not allow additional extensions on top of any set ASEAN tourist visa or create an additional "long stay" tourist visa to those not married/retired) they could say goodbye to a whole lot of expats that are living here on extended tourist visas......and that would equal a pretty good chunk of change.

    Personally, I would be getting the shaft if they did not allow stays longer than 3 months.......and I see that most of the countries I considered as back up plans are on in this ASEAN as well. :shifty: Luckily this IS Asia, it IS extremely corrupt and everyone will need to agree on who WILL get their pockets lined in any such deal.....don't think any of these changes will be seen for a very long time.
     
    • Winner Winner x 2
    • Informative Informative x 1
  6. ChMacQueen

    ChMacQueen DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Army

    Messages:
    1,254
    Trophy Points:
    336
    Ratings:
    +1,386 / 173
    I'm thinking the other way. The Philippines may talk as if they hate us long noses but they know full well they need us, the long term ones that is. We are HUGE to their economy and they know that which is what really bothers them. They know that limiting a tourist visa to not allow extensions or multiple extensions as we have now at least at the old 16-24 month mark would hurt them huge. There are hundred's of thousands of foreigners living over here on visa extensions with more and more arriving daily with that as their plan.

    There are a couple other countries that would be hurt with tightening things as well for tourist style expats while those countries have more limitations then the Philippines if it went towards tightening things it would likely harm then rather then help at a time there is so much money in longstay expats.

    So instead I see more then likely things loosening up in other countries more such as Thailand allowing more of us to stay there longterm w/o special age considerations and retirement visa's.

    The thing we know is they WANT and NEED our money and they know there are major limits they can push before we pretty much need to pack-up and leave for good. None of us are going to go country hopping 3 months here, 3 months in Thailand, 3 months in Malaysia, and 3 months someplace else.

    The biggest thing.... our money is 100 times more valuable then their own money. Why you ask? Local money circulating has no real growth, it just spins around and around not increasing the economy, not growing the economy, not making the country richer. Yet foreign money from other countries coming is is a straight full value profit for the Philippines. Every dollar brought in (or other foreign currency) is a straight increase in the economy, increase in the countries wealth. By being here we are essentially making our own countries a bit poorer then they would be if we stayed home (not that we care as our countries don't give a d*mn about us). When we spend $1 its not just done right there but every hand that it touches grows as well. Call it the near infinite cycle in a way.

    Where would the Philippines be if 15 years ago to today never happened with the surge of expats moving and living here long-term? They certainly wouldn't be doing as well as they are now and many newer business's and even many of the big malls outside Cebu, Davao, and Manila would probably not exist, say goodbye SM City, Robinson's Malls, Ayala, and so on.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
    • Like Like x 2
  7. TheDude

    TheDude DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster

    Messages:
    1,907
    Trophy Points:
    351
    Ratings:
    +1,465 / 822
    I don't think the visa system is that simple. You have different elements in government with their own agendas and their own roles. Each of these elements do their own thing and may not be talking to the others. People who were given a job to create rules will create more rules just to justify their jobs. Government gets bigger, budgets swell, the bureaucracy gets to be a bigger mess.

    I doubt there will be much consideration for expats living here long term on tourist visas. From the government perspective, there need to be laws to deal with each situation. Tourists should be on a tourist visa. Long stay expats should be on a visa which deals with their situation. No matter how you slice it, long term stays on a tourist visa is always a tricky case to deal with.

    The tourist visa was a big consideration for me being here. It's almost ridiculous compared to neighboring countries. Almost any change to the tourist visa could make staying here more difficult. But nothing lasts forever.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  8. ChMacQueen

    ChMacQueen DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Army

    Messages:
    1,254
    Trophy Points:
    336
    Ratings:
    +1,386 / 173
    I think they realize how much longterm expats here contribute financially even when they won't admit it. We are a significant part of the growth in the Philippines in the last 15 years and its those same rich people who got even more rich because of us. I think they are aware what happens without us.

    But if we get screwed they will learn their lesson the hard way. I'd expect within the first year them losing at least 100k or so expats.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  9. OP
    OP
    Nutz2U2

    Nutz2U2 DI Member Showcase Reviewer

    Messages:
    203
    Trophy Points:
    115
    Location:
    Cadawinonan, Dumaguete
    Ratings:
    +269 / 29
    Unfortunately I believe the Philippines will have to learn the hard way - like most teenagers during their puberty years with "independence" and "stubborn" and "what do others know" attitudes.

    Look at US Base issues - 1st we kick them out - now let us give them 8 bases (I know - logistic support only - yeah right :angelic::angelic:).

    Look at Army, Navy, Airforce, PNP, etc equipment. If somebody comes a knocking, we can not even throw rocks - only sticks.

    Look at foreign investment issues - they restrict with both hands and legs tight together - then wonder why the foreign companies pull out.

    Overseas Foreign Workers - as much as 10% of GDP is directly linked to the support given by OFW to family in Philippines. If they did not go overseas they would be an unemployment burden.
    And they are an easy mark for corruption (customs, employment agency, etc). And then have the president state that they should have stayed in Philippines - they decided to go overseas (:banghead::banghead::banghead:).

    Anyways we'll see how the election will go. Hopefully there will be a government that is forward thinking and planning with some positive strategies.

    My rant for the day :devilish::devilish::devilish::devilish::devilish:.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
    • Informative Informative x 1
    • Genius Genius x 1
  10. robert k

    robert k DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster Veteran Army

    Messages:
    1,525
    Trophy Points:
    315
    Ratings:
    +1,213 / 264
    Actually they didn't kick the US out. They wanted to raise the rent an unreasonable amount and the US said hell no. At the time we didn't need the basing. Actually we still don't need the basing. The Philippines wants the US bases so the Chinese don't accidentally conquer them and say oops, that Marshal or whatever rank they use didn't have the authority to do it but it's a done deal now and we will just have to live with it. China has a history of being cute sometimes.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
Loading...