The Bureau of Immigration on Sunay received another citation when it was praised by members of the Filipino-Chinese community for further relaxing its policy on the entry of tourists from mainland China.

In a letter to Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan, Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. president Alfonso Uy lauded the BI chief for granting visa-free entry privileges to Chinese tourists who are frequent international travelers.

The federation was referring to a memorandum order that Libanan signed two weeks ago allowing Chinese nationals to enter and stay in the country for seven days without a visa.

The new policy specifically applies to Chinese nationals who are holders of valid visas from the United States, Japan, Australia, Canada, and the European Union (Schengen).

Libanan reportedly issued the order upon instructions of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in a bid to promote and encourage tourism development in the country.

“The new policy is a big boost to our country’s tourism industry especially now that we are vigorously promoting our different scenic tourist spots to the Chinese market,” the federation said in its letter to Libanan.

Uy said the move “will surely attract more Chinese tourists to visit our country” even as he pledged the federation’s support to the BI’s numerous programs.

Libanan had said that with the new policy, he expects more Chinese businessmen and tourists to visit the Philippines and explore investment opportunities here, thus providing more job opportunities for Filipinos.

The Philippines has been exerting its best efforts to attract more investors from China, the world’s fastest growing economy.

The BI earlier launched a visa-upon-arrival program for Chinese businessmen wherein the visitors could obtain their visa upon arrival in a Philippine port of entry instead of securing the same from the Philippine consulate in their country of origin.