U.S. Embassy in Manila Makes $36M in Visa Applications
Filipino Express, News Report,
Mar 11, 2005
MANILA --- The land of milk and honey making the Philippines a land of milking cows? According to Sen. Ralph Recto, the United States Embassy in Manila collects about P2 billion ($36 million) a year from Filipinos applying for visas.
Recto, chairman of the Senate committee on ways and means, said the embassy charges a non-refundable application fee of $100 or P5,500, for a B-1 or B-2 visa.
A B-1 is issued to an individual who wants to go to the U.S. on business while a B-2 is given to one who intends to visit relatives or tourist destinations in the U.S.
All in all, Recto estimates, the embassy rakes in from P630 million ($11.5 million) to P2.06 billion annually, based on a minimum 450 visa applications a day. Recto was quoting figures cited in a resolution filed by 72 congressmen in 2003.
The solons claimed that 80 per cent of the visa fees, or P503 million ($9.2 million), represented denied applications, and asked the U.S. government to donate the amount to the school-building program of the Department of Education.
Immigration specialist Crispin Aranda gave a higher estimate of visa applicants in Manila. Quoting U.S. consular officials, Aranda said 200,000 non-immigrant visas were issued in Manila in 2002. The embassy “interviews anywhere from 1,200 to 1,500 applicants a day six days a week.”
Using the lower estimate of 1,200 U.S. visa applicants a day, Recto said, around 375,000 seek the “much-sought-after gate pass” to the States every year.
If they pay P5,500 each, then the U.S. Embassy collects about P2.064 billion a year. Of this amount, nearly P1 billion came from denied applications,” Recto said. “That building by the boulevard is really a cash register.”
If the embassy collects only half of the estimated annual P2 billion from visa fees, it would have become the fourth-highest in nontax collection if it were a Philippine government agency, the senator observed.
This year, the Department of Finance is expected to collect as much as P48 billion ($873 million) in nontax revenues, followed by Department of Transportation and Communications, P6.5 billion; Department of Justice, P3.7 billion; Department of Agriculture, P379 million; Department of Environment and Natural Resources, P343 million; and Department of Health, P212 million.
Reviewing the data, Recto said there is merit in the lawmakers’ appeal to the US government to use part of the collection to fund social projects here: “This is not to disparage the much-ballyhooed U.S. aid to the Philippines, but it is possible that their visa collection is much bigger than what they give us in return, in the form of aid.” (MNS)
Full Version: U.S. Embassy makes $$$ in Manila
wow. talk about sapping us dry of our own money..
QUOTE (richenamore @ Feb 15 2005, 05:48 PM)
Alright, we all know that due to worldwide European colonialism, racism and classism exists all over the world, and both have existed in many societies even before European colonialsm, but based on your own experiences growing up or from family or friends, where do you think is the best place in the world to raise Filipino children?
Every country/place has it's "ideal values" for its people, but we all know that reality is quite a different story. Let's try to talk in terms of real experiences.
Based on your experiences growing up, would you raise them in the same place that you grew up? If there was a country or place where you specifically would choose NOT to raise your children, where is that place, and why?
Every country/place has it's "ideal values" for its people, but we all know that reality is quite a different story. Let's try to talk in terms of real experiences.
Based on your experiences growing up, would you raise them in the same place that you grew up? If there was a country or place where you specifically would choose NOT to raise your children, where is that place, and why?
tanong lang po: ALAM MO BA KUNG MAG KANO ANG UTANG NG PHILIPPINES SA AMERICA?
even if Philippines were to be sold to the US..it's still not ENOUGH to pay off it's debt..
Tanong din, alam mo ba ang mga atrocities na ginawa ng america sa Pilipinas? and i am not talking just about WW II...
kahit pa doblehin ang utang natin sa US, hindi mapapantayan ang kagaguhang ginawa nila sa atin... tanga naman kasi tayo, nagpapagago!
kahit pa doblehin ang utang natin sa US, hindi mapapantayan ang kagaguhang ginawa nila sa atin... tanga naman kasi tayo, nagpapagago!
Damn right MM, we can still see signs of unofficial colonialism like this, which sucks because people are still willing to take that chance
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