The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said the surge in the number of foreign students–including Chinese–in Philippine schools was largely attributed to the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) promotion of the country as a regional and global education hub.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco made the remarks during the House Committee on Justice hearing, saying opening the door to foreign students would help boost tourism in the county.
The surge may also be due to the memorandum of understanding signed by CHED and the Chinese Ministry of Education “to fast track bilateral cooperation on higher education” and another memorandum of agreement between the two signed by China’s president and then president Rodrigo Duterte in 2019.
Indian students top the number of foreign students currently enrolled in Philippine universities at 9,680 followed by Chinese, 5,921; Nigerian, 799; Thais, 259 and Nepalese, 186.
It also showed that most of the Chinese students are in Metro Manila schools (3,028), while Central Luzon hosts 1,903; Western Visayas 566; Northern Luzon 174, and Central Visayas 150.
The BI chief said the entry and stay of foreign students in the country is governed by an executive order, in which an interagency on foreign students was created chaired by the CHEd, co-chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Education.
House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo on Wednesday meanwhile cited the need for Congress to conduct rigorous scrutiny of financial transactions within the country’s educational institutions.
This was after Tulfo learned during a congressional inquiry that Chinese students were paying P1.2 million each just to enroll in the universities in the country, particularly in Cagayan province.
Tulfo’s statement came in response to the revelation during the inquiry of the House committee on Justice chaired by Negros Occidental Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer, “into the surge of alleged Chinese students enrolling in the various higher education institutions in Cagayan province, particularly in the city of Tuguegarao, with the end view of ensuring national security amidst the prevailing situation in the West Philippine Sea.”
Cagayan Rep. Joseph Lara, who sponsored the congressional inquiry, revealed that St. Paul University in Tuguegarao admitted that each Chinese student is paying P1.2 million just to enroll in the said school.
Tulfo was shocked by the revelation as he raised concerns over our national security.
“It prompts an urgent review of our policies to ensure that they do not inadvertently compromise the country’s security and sovereignty. The government must act swiftly to implement measures that safeguard our national interests while maintaining the integrity and accessibility of our educational system,” Tulfo added.
The lawmaker said he also witnessed the presence of Chinese students during his recent visit to Tuguegarao a few weeks ago.
Apart from St. Paul University, it was revealed that an influx of Chinese students was also recorded at St. Louis University, also in Tuguegarao.
Tulfo said he also received reports that Chinese students were also enrolled in Enrile and Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
He added that this startling amount has raised questions about the financial practices and fee structures within educational institutions in the country.
Lara said there have been about 4,600 Chinese students since the start of their internationalization program before the COVID pandemic in 2019; 1,200 Chinese students enrolled in 2023; and about 10,000 were the targeted number of Chinese students.
Meanwhile, the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) requested an executive session to present their investigation report on the influx of Chinese students in Cagayan, stating that it concerns our national security. With Maricel V. Cruz