Law on digital nomad visa eyed

A PHILIPPINE SENATOR on Tuesday said that he is pushing for a law that will solidify policies on the implementation of digital nomad visas, following the issuance of an executive order allowing foreigners to remotely work in the Philippines.

“It is more appropriate and more permanent if our policies on (digital nomads) were enacted into law like other countries,” Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva said in a briefing.

Last week, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) 86, which allowed the Department of Foreign Affairs to issue digital nomad visas for foreigners seeking to remotely work in the country temporarily.

“The EO can be revoked at any time and cannot be implemented. Another thing is that it is very simple and cannot be challenged and was not discussed with representatives. It is more serious when it is a law,” he added.

Mr. Villanueva has earlier filed Senate Bill No. 2991, which seeks to implement a new type of visa that would allow visitors to stay in the country for a longer period while working for a foreign-based employer or business.

Under the proposed law, Applicants would need to provide proof of sufficient income generated outside the country, valid health insurance. The visa is valid for one year and renewable for another year.

The issuance of the digital nomad visa is said to boost tourist arrivals in the Philippines, according to the Presidential Palace. — Adrian H. Halili