13-5-2024 (MANILA) Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco has issued a pressing call for coordinated efforts among government agencies to address the escalating influx of Chinese students in the Philippines.
Tansingco has urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which leads the inter-agency committee on foreign students (IACFS), to convene a high-level meeting aimed at clarifying the roles and responsibilities of each agency in regulating the entry of foreign students into the country.
This appeal follows mounting concerns over the surge of Chinese nationals pursuing studies in Tuguegarao, prompting a congressional inquiry into the matter.
Based on immigration records, a total of 1,516 Chinese nationals have been granted student visas in Cagayan, with endorsement from a prominent Philippine university. However, as of April, only 485 are currently enrolled, with a mere 96 physically present with valid student visas.
“The Philippine government has actively promoted the country as a hub for regional and global education. Various national campaigns have significantly contributed to the increase in foreign student enrolment,” remarked Tansingco.
In 2023 alone, the BI issued a total of 24,189 student visas to individuals of various nationalities, with Chinese nationals leading the pack at 16,190 enrollees nationwide, the majority of whom are concentrated in the National Capital Region.
Chinese nationals consistently rank as the largest group of foreign students in numerous countries. In the United States, for instance, 289,526 Chinese nationals were granted student visas, while Malaysia and Thailand also witnessed significant numbers of Chinese students, with 130,000 and over 20,000 enrollments respectively in recent years.
Executive Order No. 285, issued in 2000, establishes the IACFS chaired by CHED, with BI, NBI, NICA, DFA, and DepEd as member agencies. Schools admitting foreign students are mandated to regularly furnish student data to all IACFS agencies for monitoring visa compliance, ensuring adherence to educational policies, and conducting investigations into any suspicious activities.
“We have called for this high-level meeting to reinforce our previous requests for joint inspections and to institutionalize them as a regular practice by the IACFS, especially in light of evolving national security concerns,” asserted Tansingco.
He emphasised the imperative of integrating security assessments into the inter-agency’s agenda, underscoring the need for proactive measures to safeguard national security interests.
Tansingco disclosed that the BI has furnished student distribution data to facilitate mapping by NBI and NICA for their investigations into suspicious activities involving foreign nationals.
Acknowledging the potential security implications of certain activities by foreign students, Tansingco affirmed the BI’s commitment to supporting intelligence agencies’ security assessments by providing relevant data for investigative purposes.
“We are fully committed to collaborating with NBI and NICA in conducting thorough assessments to uphold national security,” affirmed Tansingco.
