Traveling to HK? Monitor official websites, PHL foreign official suggests

Filipinos with Philippine passports who are planning to travel to Hong Kong may want to keep track of some websites, amid reported calls there to suspend a visa-free entry of Philippine passport holders.

The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong issued the advisory after Hong Kong lawmakers pressed the Hong Kong government to impose sanctions on the Philippines.

"All Philippine passport holders who have travel plans to Hong Kong should monitor the news regularly in view of proposals to suspend the 14-day visa-free entry of Philippine passport holders," it said.

It said they should check these websites:

- Hong Kong Immigration Department (www.immd.gov.hk/en/services/hk-visas/visit-transit/visit-visa-entry-permit.html#part2)

- Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong (www.philcongen-hk.com) or (www.facebook.com/pcghk)

Also, the Consulate General said inquiries may be sent to it via email (hongkongpc@philcongen-hk.com) or SMS (+852-9155-4023).

On Friday, Malacañang maintained the Philippine government continues to quietly work to resolve the situation despite the reported motion from Hong Kong lawmakers to scrap Filipinos' visa-free access to Hong Kong.

"Our position remains the same. Both sides are working quietly to address these concerns and reach a mutually satisfying conclusion," Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

In the meantime, he appealed to Filipinos who may be affected by such a sanction to remain calm as the government will continue to look after their welfare.

The row stemmed from a hostage taking incident in Manila on Aug. 23, 2010, when a dismissed policeman took a busload of Hong Kong tourists hostage to demand his reinstatement in the police force.

But a botched police rescue attempt resulted in the death of the policeman and many of his hostages.

Following the incident, Hong Kong has imposed a black travel warning that discourages its residents from visiting the Philippines. — LBG, GMA News

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