HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — One of the highest-ranking elected officials in the Philippine government is asking the U.S. Department of Foreign Affairs to ease visa requirements for Philippine citizens looking to visit Guam.
Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, senate president of the Philippines, filed a resolution this week requesting the Department of Foreign Affairs to include the Philippines in the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program. The program allows visitors from included nations to stay up to 45 days in the Mariana Islands without a visa.
The resolution, if it sees support in the Philippine congress, will serve as an official communication to the U.S. government.
Guam Del. James Moylan in a statement issued Friday thanked Zubiri. The delegate met Zubiri in Washington, D.C., earlier this year.
“This is and will continue to be a concerted effort from all parties, including the governments of Guam, the CNMI and the Philippines, along with federal partners. This resolution, once adopted, would provide a great boost in the process,” stated Moylan.
“Former governor and current (Guam Visitors Bureau) President Carl Gutierrez has been championing this effort for years and we look forward to the collaboration,” Moylan added. “We recently appointed Sen. Jesse Lujan as our office’s legislative liaison on issues that mutually benefit Guam and the Philippines and he, too, has also been a tireless advocate on this waiver. When Congress reconvenes in a few weeks, we will make this issue one of our priorities of the Philippines Friendship Caucus.”
According to the release from Moylan’s office, the visa-waiver program could enhance visitor numbers from the Philippines.
“Statistics shared by the Guam Visitors Bureau a couple of years ago indicate that the individual spending habits of Filipinos who visit Guam often exceed those of visitors from other primary markets from Guam, inclusive of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan,” the release stated. “For many Filipinos, Guam is an attractive tourism destination for many reasons, including, but not limited to, the duty-free shopping, the tropical environment, the less than four hours of travel time, and the reality that the American flag flies above.”
It also would provide a much easier avenue for Guam residents to reunite with family members in the Philippine islands, the release stated.
James Moylan
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacanang Palace in Manila on Aug. 6, 2022.
