RP ranked with Colombia in Schengen visa ruling

The Philippines is now on the same list as South America’s illegal drug-haven, Colombia.

The Philippines was ranked along with Colombia in Germany’s listing of countries where nationals will be subjected to special procedures when applying for a Schengen visa, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

Colombia is notorious for its drug cartel and thriving trade in cocaine, heroin and other illegal drugs.

DFA Undersecretary for Policy Lauro Baja Jr. said the foreign affairs department is still trying to find out why the Philippines was included in the German watch-list of Schengen countries.

Colombia and the Philippines are the latest additions in the 22-country watch-list. The Schengen countries refused to divulge the other countries included on the watch-list, saying the list is internal and confidential.

Germany proposed the Philippines’ inclusion in the Schengen watch-list, Baja said. He added that the presence of terrorists in the country could be the reason for the Philippines’ inclusion in the list, though European countries maintained they do not consider the Philippines a terrorist haven.

The Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Norway and Iceland are not members of the European Union (EU).

Foreign Secretary Blas Ople said the Philippines will consider revoking the 21-day no-visa policy covering nationals of Western European states that impose such restrictive measures against Filipinos.

DFA executive director for Asia-Pacific Antonio Modena said there has been no proof that the no-visa entry improved tourist arrivals from Western Europe.

"In fact, the increase of tourist arrivals are from Taiwan, Japan, China and South Korea, which we require to secure a visa before enjoying the country," he said.

Modena said a poor country like the Philippines has been forgoing a large source of revenue by implementing the 21-day no visa policy for Western Europeans, as well as for Americans and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"With the visa requirement, we are assured that we’re getting a large number and quality tourists, while the ones who come in without a visa can be those pedophiles and prostitutes who pose as models," Modena added.

Besides avoiding screening, tourists who enter the Philippines sans visas tend to overstay and take advantage of the no-visa rule once they want to return to the Philippines.

The no-visa policy has been in effect for the last 20 years. However, it hasn’t really encouraged tourists from its target market to visit the country, a DFA source said.

The source said tourists visiting the country "should see the virtues of the Philippines compared to other countries."

The source added that the present security concerns created by the terrorism problem the country now faces should prod the government into reviewing its policies on visa issuance.

Ople said the Philippines will not hesitate to impose a reciprocal policy against the Schengen countries to uphold national dignity.

"It’s a tit-for-tat policy," Ople said, adding that he already directed all Philippine ambassadors in Western European states to consider enforcing a special procedure of its own for nationals of countries that impose visa restrictions on Filipinos.

However, ambassadors from Western Europe said there was no attempt to single the Philippines out because this new procedure is just an offshoot of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

The European envoys also assured Ople that these procedures were administrative in nature.

Nevertheless, Ople has asked the diplomats to ask their governments to strike the Philippines from the Schengen watch-list so as not to prejudice Filipino travelers.

The purpose of the Schengen agreement is to enable people to move freely between the countries that are party to it. All who enter or leave the Schengen zone, however, are to be carefully checked. The rules concerning working and settling in another country are not covered by the Schengen scheme.