On October 20, 2026, Palace press officer Claire Castro said the Department of Foreign Affairs would assess whether Chinese nationals’ 14-day entry arrangement was being exploited for crime. The review followed raids on suspected illegal gaming sites and plans to deport 101 foreign nationals, including 82 Chinese nationals.
Palace press officer Claire Castro said October 20, 2026, that the Department of Foreign Affairs would examine whether Chinese visitors’ 14-day visa-free entry is being used to support criminal activity in the Philippines. She said the agency would assess possible adverse effects, including exploitation connected to illegal POGOs.
The review is an assessment, not an announced decision on the arrangement. Castro said she had referred the issue to the department, which would determine whether the entry policy was being exploited to commit crimes.
“The DFA will look into the issues and determine whether the arrangement is having adverse effects, particularly whether it is being exploited to commit crimes in the Philippines,” Castro said.
She also described the review in Filipino, saying authorities would examine “kung ano ang nagiging issue or nagkakaroon ba ito nang hindi magandang epekto,” or whether the arrangement was producing harmful effects.
Chinese visitors are covered by a 14-day entry arrangement
| Passport or status | Visa needed? | Maximum stay described | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese nationals | Visa-free arrangement | 14 days | Palace referred the arrangement to the foreign affairs department for assessment. |
The planned review follows separate police operations and deportation plans. The reported allegations concern people suspected of involvement in unlawful activity; they do not establish that every person covered by the arrangement committed an offense.
Raids and deportation plans brought the entry policy under review
Authorities announced plans to deport 101 foreign nationals, including 82 Chinese nationals alleged to have entered and remained in the country under the 14-day arrangement. The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission proposed taking another look at the policy, and Castro said the department was studying the issue.
Castro pointed to police operations on October 2 in Zamboanga Sibugay and October 18 in Makati City. The raids targeted suspected offshore-gaming sites. The cases prompted scrutiny of whether short-term entry had been exploited, but the review itself concerns the arrangement’s possible effects.
The concerns sit alongside a broader government effort to shut down illegal gaming operations. Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wanted the remaining operations eliminated, and named the Philippine National Police, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the commission as agencies taking action.
“The president's order is to crack down on smuggling. Whatever illegal activities are being carried out in Philippine territory must be identified, and those responsible must be held accountable. Authorities must not stop until these criminal activities are completely eradicated,” Castro said.
Accounts place the offshore-gaming ban in different years
The timing of the ban has been described inconsistently. Politiko and GMA News have placed it in 2024, while an Inquirer account says Marcos signed a law banning offshore gaming operations in October 2025. Former commission spokesperson Winston Casio said the ban came on October 23, 2025.
The 2025 law, as described in the Inquirer account, cited severe social costs and associated criminal activity that outweighed the industry’s economic contributions. It treats work permits and visas as canceled for people engaged in offshore gaming, including employees of POGOs, POGO gaming content providers and POGO-accredited service providers.
Casio, described by ABS-CBN as a former commission spokesperson, has said the prohibition did not end all offshore-gaming activity. His statements are estimates and allegations, separate from Castro’s announcement of a government review.
Casio says operators shifted to smaller sites as networks persisted
Speaking at a forum in Quezon City, Casio said offshore-gaming operations continued after the ban. He argued that criminal networks did not disappear when the industry was prohibited.
“They were banned October 23, 2025. Pero tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ang operasyon ng POGO. Bagama't nagkaroon ng ban, katulad lang yan ng bawat krimen, bawal pero hindi sila umalis”
Casio estimated that thousands of people linked to the operations might still be in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. He said some operators had moved from large compounds into smaller locations, including condominium units.
“Hindi na po sila mga hub. Karamihan sa kanila condo na,” he said.
He also questioned the government’s policy allowing Chinese nationals to enter without a visa or through visa-on-arrival arrangements. Casio argued that Chinese nationals’ numbers in the Philippines had risen after those entry options were available.
He cited questionable birth certificates issued to foreign nationals as another concern. Casio said around 1,500 records had been confirmed as questionable before he left the commission, with thousands more still under review.
Casio raised trafficking, security and political concerns
Casio said the risks extended beyond gambling, alleging links to human trafficking and online scams. He referred to operations in which foreign nationals were allegedly recruited for legitimate jobs, then made to work in scam operations.
“Maliwanag na trafficking po iyon. Forced criminality,” he said.
He characterized the networks as a national-security concern as well as a transnational organized-crime problem. Past descriptions of crimes linked to offshore gaming operations include human trafficking, prostitution and the trade in illicit drugs or narcotics.
Casio said corruption helped illegal operations persist and called for authorities to scrutinize local officials in areas where suspected gaming sites had been found. He also urged local government units to remain involved in enforcement.
“Hindi mo naman mababagsak ang POGO sa Pilipinas because of public corruption,” he said.
He warned that operators could use their money to seek influence in future elections. Casio also alleged that some had presented their businesses as business process outsourcing firms, technology companies or lending agencies to avoid scrutiny.
His call was for authorities to keep up the campaign against alleged activity connected to offshore gaming, trafficking and online scams. “Simple lang ang mensahe natin. Mahalin natin ang Pilipinas. Anything that has something to do with POGO, human trafficking, online scams, dapat tuloy-tuloy ang laban ng gobyerno laban dito,” he said.
Frequently asked questions
Have Chinese visitors’ 14-day visa-free entry rules changed?
The article does not report a change to the arrangement. Palace press officer Claire Castro said the Department of Foreign Affairs would assess whether it has adverse effects or is being exploited for criminal activity. She described a review, not a decision to suspend or revise the policy. Travelers should check current official Philippine government guidance before departure, since the assessment could lead to further announcements.
How long can Chinese visitors stay under the arrangement described?
The article describes a visa-free entry arrangement allowing Chinese nationals to stay for up to 14 days. It does not provide further details about eligibility, permitted activities, or whether extensions are available. Visitors should confirm the current terms with Philippine authorities or an official consular source before traveling, and should not assume that the review itself changes the stay limit.
Why is the Philippine government reviewing the visa-free arrangement?
The DFA is examining whether the arrangement is having harmful effects or being used to support criminal activity, particularly activity connected to illegal offshore gaming operators, known as POGOs. The scrutiny follows police raids on suspected gaming sites and deportation plans for some foreign nationals. The review concerns possible misuse; it does not establish that all Chinese visitors or all people covered by the arrangement have committed offenses.
Does the planned deportation of 82 Chinese nationals mean all visa-free visitors are suspected of crimes?
No. The article says authorities planned to deport 101 foreign nationals, including 82 Chinese nationals, who were alleged to have entered and remained in the country under the 14-day arrangement. Those allegations concern the people involved in those cases. The article explicitly cautions that they do not establish that every person covered by the entry arrangement committed an offense.
