Gov’t extends visa-free entry privilege to foreign investors at Clark, Subic
MANILA,
March 8 (PNA) -- The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and Clark
Development Corporation (CDC) have signed an agreement with the Bureau
of Immigration (BI) for the issuance of visa-free entry privileges to
foreign investors visiting the two freeports.
Under the agreement signed by SBMA Administrator Armand
Arreza and CDC president Benigno Ricafort with BI Commissioner Marcelino
Libanan, officers and personnel of a foreign locator in the two
freeports may now enter and stay in the country without a visa for a
period of 14 days.
However, the privilege will only be extended to those
arriving only through the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport
(DMIA) or the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA).
SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said the agreement will
help attract more foreign investors to do business in Subic and Clark as
well as send a signal to other foreign investors that the government is
serious in courting more foreign investments that will create more jobs
and improve the economy.
“More than the convenience that the agreement will provide
foreign locators in Subic and Clark, the visa-free entry will encourage
more investments from Taiwan —which is now one of the biggest in Subic
—and invite other foreign investments to do business in the freeport
zones,” Arreza said.
Commissioner Libanan said the visa-free entry privilege for
foreign locators in Subic and Clark is part of the BI’s ongoing thrust
to attract more tourists and investors to the Philippines, aside from
merely guarding against the entry of terrorists, transnational criminals
and other undesirable aliens.
Aside from tightening the BI’s guard against the entry of
undesirable aliens, Libanan introduced reforms, like cutting red tape
and providing visa incentives to foreign investors to encourage them to
visit and invest in the country.
The agreement provides that the foreign locator shall vouch
for their officers and personnel coming here and shall notify the SBMA
chair or CDC president who shall approve the grant of the visa-free
entry privilege.
Upon his arrival, the investor is then to move freely within
the freeport zones throughout the duration of his or her stay.
The agreement also said that these officers and personnel of
foreign locators may apply with the BI for a landed visa so they can
travel to other areas of the Philippines that they wish to visit for the
purpose of exploring investment opportunities outside the two
freeports. (PNA)
LDV/FMB
|
