菲律宾旅游部争取延续对中国游客14天免签：今年中国游客近39.4万人次、同比增长近七成
马尼拉—菲律宾旅游部正积极争取延续并扩大对中国游客的免签入境安排。旅游部长 Dita Angara-Mathay 表示，当务之急是先延续现行安排，再争取把免签入境口岸扩大到更多目的地，尤其是海滩旅游地区；有关延续提议仍需菲律宾外交部批准，并与其它政府机构协商，旅游部已提交支持延续的经济论证文件。
现行安排自今年1月16日起实施：中国公民可免签入境菲律宾停留14天，用于旅游或商务，但只能经马尼拉的尼诺·阿基诺国际机场与宿务的麦克坦—宿务国际机场入境，且14天停留不可延期、不可转换其它签证类别。
旅游部的数据显示，截至11月4日，今年中国游客入境菲律宾已达394,384人次，同比增长69.78%，中国已升至菲律宾第四大外国游客来源地、此前排第六。Angara-Mathay 表示，加强出入境监测可以回应安全方面的顾虑，不必把正常游客挡在门外。
与此同时，这一安排也面临审视：菲律宾监察专员 Jesus Crispin Remulla 11月7日称，据其办公室研究，免签计划实施头两个月，约1%以免签方式入境的中国访客没有返回中国，并质疑对免签访客的监测；他没有公布支持这一估算的数据集或方法。
（来源：菲律宾旅游部）
Philippine Tourism Department Seeks to Extend 14-Day Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Visitors as Arrivals Near 394,000, Up Almost 70%
MANILA — The Philippine Department of Tourism is actively seeking to renew and eventually expand visa-free entry for Chinese tourists. Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the immediate priority is to extend the existing arrangement first, before pursuing wider access to more destinations, particularly beach areas. The proposed extension still requires approval from the Department of Foreign Affairs and consultations with other government agencies, and the department has submitted an economic paper supporting renewal.
Under the arrangement in force since January 16 this year, Chinese nationals may enter the Philippines visa-free for up to 14 days for tourism or business, but only through Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila or Mactan-Cebu International Airport. The 14-day stay cannot be extended or converted to another visa category.
Tourism department figures show Chinese visitor arrivals reached 394,384 as of November 4, up 69.78 percent from the same period last year, lifting China to the Philippines' fourth-largest source of foreign visitors, from sixth. Angara-Mathay argued that tighter monitoring can address security concerns without shutting out legitimate visitors.
The arrangement has also drawn scrutiny. Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said on November 7 that, according to his office's study, about 1 percent of Chinese visitors who entered visa-free during the programme's first two months did not return to China, and he questioned how such visitors are monitored. He did not publish a dataset or methodology supporting the estimate.
(Source: Department of Tourism, Philippines)
来源：菲律宾旅游部
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图片来源：图：马尼拉尼诺·阿基诺国际机场第一航站楼值机大厅（资料图，Aliceinthealice 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons）。 / Photo: Check-in hall of Terminal 1 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila (file photo by Aliceinthealice, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons).
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