Tomorrow will be the last day for Ilonggos in Iloilo City and nearby towns to enjoy Spanish films being screened at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre in the city since Wednesday, July 3. The is courtesy of Instituto Cervantes and the Embassy of Spain in cooperation with the Film Development Council of the Philippines.
The film series opened with No sé decir adios (2017) directed by Lino Escalera. In the film, Clara receives a call from her father, with whom she has not spoken for a long time. He is suffering from a terminal illness, which Clara refuses to accept. Against everyone’s advice, she takes her father to be treated, both escaping the reality which neither can accept.
Elena Martín’s Julia Ist (2017) was screened on July 4. The film tells the story of Julia, whose future had been very clear until she joined the Erasmus program in Berlin where she was completely alone. She realized that she did not know herself that well nor did she know what she wanted to do with her life.
The documentary Saura(s) (2017) by Félix Viscarret was shown on July 5. It features filmmaker and writer Carlos Saura through his conversations with his seven children.
The film cycle closes at 4:00 p.m. today with the drama María y los demás (2016). In the film, María has been taking care of her family ever since her mother died. She is responsible yet controlling, and when her father falls in love with his nurse and announces his engagement to her, María feels as though her life is falling apart.
The film screenings were free on a first-come, first served basis.
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Visa-free travel to Taiwan extended
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines announced the extension of 14-day visa-free entry program for the Philippines until July 31, 2020.
The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) announced on July 2 that the visa-free privilege for Filipinos will continue for another year from Aug. 1, 2019, through July 31, 2020.
This privilege is a display of Taiwan’s amity with the Philippines as the country continues to boost the travel convenience for Filipinos to visit Taiwan for leisure, business, or other short-term purposes. The visa-free privilege also aims to deepen Taiwan’s multifaceted relations with the Philippines, particularly in the fields of tourism, trade, investment, education, agriculture, fisheries, and healthcare, to name a few.
The Philippines is not only Taiwan’s closest neighbor but also a priority partner for Taiwan’s “New Southbound Policy” which aims to build stronger bilateral relations and closer people-to-people connectivity with its neighboring countries in the region.
The implementation of the visa-free treatment since Nov. 1, 2017 has resulted in a rapid increase of Filipinos visiting Taiwan. In 2018, visitors from the Philippines reached 419,000, recording a 44 percent increase as compared to the number in 2017.
Furthermore, regional airlines both from Taiwan and the Philippines have launched more direct flights and opened new routes to the major cities between the two countries. Filipinos have more choices as they could now depart for Taiwan from Manila, Puerto Princesa, Clark, Cebu, and Kalibo, helping Philippine travelers save more time and money.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines encourages more Filipino friends to maximize the visa-free status and to visit Taiwan as often as possible to enjoy its beautiful attractions, the wide variety of shopping and dining options and the warm hospitality. At the same time, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines urges the Philippine government to grant visa-free treatment to the nationals of the Republic of China (Taiwan) on the basis of reciprocity, so as to attract more Taiwanese tourists and businessmen to visit the Philippines. It will surely strengthen bilateral ties and mutually benefit our two countries.
Philippine travelers may enter Taiwan and stay for up to 14 days without having to apply for a visa should they comply with the conditions listed below:
Possess an ordinary/regular passport with remaining validity of at least six months from the date of entry;
Hold a confirmed return plane or boat ticket, or a confirmed plane or boat ticket, along with a valid visa, for an onward destination;
Provide the confirmation of hotel reservations or an address and contact details for their stay in Taiwan, as well as a financial statement;
Have a clean criminal record, as verified by immigration upon arrival at an airport or seaport in Taiwan.
The duration of the 14-day visa-free is not extendable and begins on the following day of arrival in Taiwan.
For more visa information regarding the Republic of China (Taiwan), please visit the following website: http://www.roc-taiwan.org/ph or follow Facebook @ Taiwan in the Philippines.
