An April 15, 2011 press release by the Department of Foreign Affairs
The Philippines will allow the entry into the country of Canadian nationals traveling only with Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) in case of evacuation from Japan, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario announced today.
He said that the Canadian Embassy in Manila made this request to the Philippine Government as part of Canada’s contingency plans for moving its nationals out of harm’s way in Japan, in case the danger posed by the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant increases.
“For humanitarian reasons and as an affirmation of our friendship with the people and the government of Canada, the Aquino administration decided to waive the requirement for Canadians to show regular passports upon arrival. In its place, the submission of ETDs would be enough for them to enter the Philippines,” Del Rosario added.
Like the Philippine electronic passport (ePassport), Canadian passports are printed in one central location and takes up to 15 days to be released. If an evacuation is effected, Canadian nationals in Japan with expired passports would have to travel using ETDs issued by the Canadian government as a destination for its evacuees.
Acting on the endorsement of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Bureau of Immigration said it is amenable to the Embassy’s request and will allow Canadian nationals to stay in the country until the Embassy’s Consular Section is able to issue a regular or temporary Canadian passport to them.
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