Marcos to issue EO on 'nomad visas'

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to issue an executive order (EO) for the immediate implementation of “nomad visas” without tax incentives, a permit that allows a person to work remotely in a foreign country that is popular with freelancers.

The Private Sector Advisory Council for Tourism (PSAC-Tourism) made the announcement on Friday.

Marcos has directed the Office of the Executive Secretary to draft the EO and select a pilot country for the initiative, PSAC-Tourism said in a statement. 

The issuance of nomad visas aims to attract long-term foreign visitors, PSAC-Tourism official Lucio Tan III said in a press release.

“We need to issue nomad visas quickly to attract long-stay tourists. Other countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia are already benefiting from this approach,” he said.

The average cost of living in Southeast Asia is lower than major developed countries, making the region attractive for digital nomads, PSAC said.

According to the work and travel platform Nomad List, Manila is the world's seventh fastest-growing hub for remote work, above Hanoi, Vietnam (8th), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (9th), and Ljubljana, Slovenia (10th). Tokyo, Japan topped the list.