Ready to go to Taiwan? MECO confident PH won’t lose visa-free entry privileges

Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A visitor views different varieties of orchids during the Taiwan International Orchid Show (TIOS) in Tainan city, Taiwan on March 3, 2023. Ritchie Tongo, EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/overseas/03/03/20230303-orchids-tios-taiwan-epa-1.jpg"/><figcaption>A visitor views different varieties of orchids during the Taiwan International Orchid Show (TIOS) in Tainan city, Taiwan on March 3, 2023. <em>Ritchie Tongo, EPA-EFE</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) on Saturday was confident the Philippines will not lose its visa-free entry privileges in Taiwan, after a Taiwanese official said it could be extended annually. </p><p>Filipinos are currently eligible for the visa exemption program for a duration of stay of up to 14 days, except those holding diplomatic or official/service passports <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/23/22/taiwan-resumes-visa-free-entry-for-filipinos-on-sept-29">until July 31</a>. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/02/03/23/taiwan-eyes-extension-of-visa-free-entry-for-filipinos">Taiwan eyes extension of visa-free entry for Filipinos</a></li></ul><p>Peiyung Hsu, a representative from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines had said this could be extended “because people to people connectivity is so important.”</p><p>MECO Chairperson Silvestre Bello III said Taiwan needs Filipinos, and not only for the tourism sector. </p><p>“We were informed that there might be some policy changes pero hanggang ngayon wala pa naman and I am still confident yung ating visa-free privilege will not be discarded kasi kailangan nila ang mga Pilipino,” Bello told reporters in a briefing. </p><p>Bello, a former labor secretary, said he was not keen on requesting the duration of the visa-free stay there to be lengthened. </p><p>“Baka maisip pa nila tanggalin kapag tumawag tayo. Okay na rin yung [14 days],” he said. </p><p>Taiwan is targeting to attract at least 200,000 Filipino tourists to Taiwan as well as 200,000 Taiwanese tourists to the Philippines.</p><p>Around 5,000 Filipinos may be needed for the manufacturing sector soon, said Bello. </p><p>Since lifting all entry restrictions last October and granting Filipino tourists visa-free access, the number of arrivals to Taiwan grew and reached 29,831 in 2022, up by more than 200 percent from 9,183 visitors in 2021. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sVpCLwkPxlQ?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

MECO Chairperson Silvestre Bello III said Taiwan needs Filipinos, and not only for the tourism sector. 

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Ready to go to Taiwan? MECO confident PH won’t lose visa-free entry privileges

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 13, 2023 05:06 PM PHT

|

Updated May 13, 2023 06:47 PM PHT

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MECO

Taiwan

visa-free entry

Silvestre Bello III

Manila Economic and Cultural Office

visa

Taiwan visa

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