MANILA, Philippines – Chinese nationals led the list of foreigners who were denied entry to the Philippines last year for disrespectful behavior toward immigration officers, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.
Thirty seven Chinese nationals were barred by the BI last year, along with 25 Americans and 23 Koreans, nine Japanese and four Saudi Arabians.
A total of 133 foreigners were turned back last year, the BI said.
BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said that the barred foreign nationals have been placed on the immigration blacklist and are banned from re-entering the country.
“They were also placed in our immigration blacklist of undesirable aliens, thus they are banned from re-entering the country,” Medina said in a statement on Sunday.
BI Spokesperson Dana Sandoval said that the immigration agency has been strictly implementing a policy to bar the entry of foreigners who show arrogance or make offensive remarks against immigration officers.
She said such policy was based on a memorandum order issued in 2001 which provides not only for the exclusion of a disrespectful foreign passenger but also his or her inclusion in the immigration blacklist.
“While we have been instructed to observe maximum tolerance, arrogant and discourteous foreigners are sent back and blacklisted. Symbols of the country, such as authorities, should be respected,” Sandoval said in a statement.
Medina advised foreigners intending to visit the country not to be discourteous and avoid using foul and indecent language against immigration officers.
“The entry and stay of foreigners in the country is only a privilege, not a right,” Medina said.
“Aliens are not allowed to verbally abuse or disrespect our immigration officers,” he stressed. /gsg