<p>
According to Surigao del Sur Representative Johnny Pimentel:
</p>
<div class="article-comment">
<p>
"There are two ways we can achieve parity. Either we obligate Americans traveling to Manila to first secure a Philippine visa, or the US removes the requirement for Filipinos to get a hold of a US visa before they can travel to America." 
</p>
</div>
<p>
Pimentel said requiring visitors from the US to obtain a Philippine visa could easily generate $125 million, or P6 billion, in incremental revenue for Manila every year.
</p>
<div class="article-comment">
<p>
"This is assuming we ask each visiting American to pay a $160 visa application fee—the same amount the US Embassy in Manila asks from every Filipino seeking a US visa."
</p>
</div>
<p>
Pimentel said parity could mean additional good-paying jobs for college-educated Filipinos trying to enter the Philippine foreign service.
</p>
<p>
Pimentel said:
</p>
<div class="article-comment">
<p>
"We could use some of the P6-billion annual income to employ a large number of young Filipinos as vice consuls, and deploy them to Philippine consular offices in the US, so they can process the Philippine visa applications of American citizens." 
</p>
<p>
"There is nothing anti-American about seeking parity in travel stipulations. This is all about equality in treatment. Our people-to-people, business-to-business as well as government-to-government relations with the US remain sound." 
</p>
</div>
<p>
Pimentel said requiring visitors from the US to apply for a Philippine visa would also help weed out criminal offenders attempting to enter Manila.
</p>
<p>
He noted that many Americans who are fugitives from justice in their homeland, including child sex offenders, have found it convenient to seek refuge in the Philippines, owing to their ability to freely move into Manila.
</p>
<div class="article-comment">
<p>
"These fugitives easily blend into our communities because of our cultural affinity with America."
</p>
</div>
<p>
The Tourism Department says Americans comprise the second-largest group of foreigners visiting the Philippines every year, next only to South Koreans.
</p>
<p>
It said a total of 779,217 Americans visited the Philippines in 2015, up 7.81 percent from the 722,750 that visited the country in 2014.
</p>
<p>
From January to August this year, a total of 584,149 Americans visited the Philippines, up 9.96 percent from the 531,217 that visited the country in the same eight-month period in 2015, said the department.
</p>
<p>
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez earlier supported President Duterte's call for "reciprocity" in travel rights between the Philippines and the US.
</p>
<p>
At present, under the Visa Waiver Program of the US, citizens of 38 countries are already allowed to travel to America for tourism, business, or while in transit for up to 90 days, without having to obtain a US visa.
</p>
<p>
These 38 countries are:
</p>
<ol>
<li>
Andorra, 
</li>
<li>
Australia, 
</li>
<li>
Austria, 
</li>
<li>
Belgium, 
</li>
<li>
Brunei, 
</li>
<li>
Chile, 
</li>
<li>
Czech Republic, 
</li>
<li>
Denmark, 
</li>
<li>
Estonia, 
</li>
<li>
Finland, 
</li>
<li>
France, 
</li>
<li>
Germany, 
</li>
<li>
Greece, 
</li>
<li>
Hungary, 
</li>
<li>
Iceland, 
</li>
<li>
Ireland, 
</li>
<li>
Italy, 
</li>
<li>
Japan, 
</li>
<li>
South Korea, 
</li>
<li>
Latvia, 
</li>
<li>
Liechtenstein, 
</li>
<li>
Lithuania, 
</li>
<li>
Luxembourg, 
</li>
<li>
Malta, 
</li>
<li>
Monaco, 
</li>
<li>
Netherlands, 
</li>
<li>
New Zealand, 
</li>
<li>
Norway, 
</li>
<li>
Portugal, 
</li>
<li>
San Marino, 
</li>
<li>
Singapore, 
</li>
<li>
Slovakia, 
</li>
<li>
Slovenia, 
</li>
<li>
Spain, 
</li>
<li>
Sweden, 
</li>
<li>
Switzerland, 
</li>
<li>
Taiwan, and
</li>
<li>
The United Kingdom.
</li>
</ol>
<p>
<strong>Sources</strong>: 
</p>
<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
Various news outlets
</li>
</ol>




Parity in travel conditions between the Philippines and the United States