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By William B. Depasupil, Reporter
THE Philippines is fast emerging
as the newest educational hub in the Asia-Pacific region as a result
of the continuing influx of foreign students in various schools of
the country.
Records from the Bureau of
Immigration (BI) showed that last year alone, more than 30,000
foreign students had secured special study permits and student visas
from the bureau.
Immigration Commissioner
Marcelino Libanan said Tuesday that Koreans account for about 95
percent of the foreign students, mostly minors and teenagers
enrolled in various private schools and learning centers throughout
the country.
A special study permit (SSP) is
issued to a foreigner studying in the elementary and high school and
other nondegree courses while a student visa is given to one
pursuing a college degree.
To attract more students, Libanan
intends to institute new policy guidelines that will cut red tape in
the processing of study visas and permits by the bureau.
He said that only recently, the
immigration bureau extended from one month to six months the length
of visa extensions that the bureau gives to SSP holders.
Libanan said he would arrange a
meeting with the official of the Department of Education (DepEd) and
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to discuss programs that
would boost the country’s reputation as a haven for foreign
students.
However, he warned that any
foreigner who studies here without obtaining a permit or visa would
be sanctioned for immigration law violation.
He also cautioned school
registrars not to admit foreigners who do not have a study permit or
a visa or the BI will withdraw their authority to accept foreign
students.
The BI head of student desk,
Teodulo Estrada, said that besides Metro Manila, there is also a
high concentration of foreign students in the cities of Baguio and
Cebu.
Estrada said that from January to
May this year, some 10,000 foreigners, mostly Koreans, have applied
for study permits and visas.
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