DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                                                           2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                                                                 Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-768-05                                                                                                                                                                                                                             19 October  2005

DFA LAUNCHES NEW LINK IN WEBSITE FOR APEC BUSINESS TRAVEL CARD


19 October 2005 -- The Department of Foreign Affairs today announced the launching of a new link in its website that will enable the public, particularly Filipino businessmen, to electronically access important information on the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC).

"The launching of the ABTC link in the DFA website is in accordance with our commitment in APEC to facilitate trade, particularly in the movement of legitimate businesspersons," Acting Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Domingo D. Lucenario, Jr. said.

"We want to encourage Filipino businessmen who are frequent business travelers in the APEC region to access the website to obtain useful information on the ABTC," Acting Assistant Secretary Lucenario added.

The website link contains a brief backgrounder on the ABTC scheme, information on the requirements for and procedures in applying for an ABTC, as well as a downloadable ABTC application form.

The ABTC is an APEC scheme pioneered in 1997 by the Philippines, Australia and the Republic of Korea, in recognition of the need of legitimate businesspersons for greater mobility in pursuing trade and investment opportunities within the APEC region.

The size of a credit card, the ABTC affords businesspersons streamlined and facilitated entry into the territory of APEC participating economies. This occurs through simple pre-clearance system where a businessman, through a single ABTC application, is able to obtain multiple short-term permits to travel to other participating economies.

A holder of an ABTC no longer needs to apply for entry visas to travel to other participating APEC economies that have granted approval under the ABTC pre-clearance system. The holder will also avail of facilitated entry and exits through special APEC/ABTC lanes at major airports of these participating economies. An ABTC holder, however, is still required to carry his or her valid passport. A total of sixteen (16) APEC member economies currently participate in the ABTC scheme.

The ABTC icon is located at the lower part of the DFA webpage. END
 
 
 

/gary