While local officials lament the racial undertones in the reported influx of Chinese students in Cagayan province, legislators saw the need to investigate amid the increasing tensions with China in the West Philippine Sea.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the huge number of young Chinese nationals in Cagayan might be related to an incident in Thailand where Chinese nationals were caught pretending to be Filipinos.

“Even in the ASEAN region, they are causing chaos,” Hontiveros said in Filipino, adding that the Senate should look into whether the Chinese violated Philippine immigration laws.

She said she would file a resolution to investigate the matter.

She noted that the Chinese nationals were in areas around Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites where the United States stationed troops and equipment in Philippine military bases.

National security concern

Cagayan has two Philippine bases and is in the northernmost part of the country, closest to Taiwan, which China has vowed to return to the mainland.

“This is a national security concern that must be addressed,” Hontiveros said.

The sudden rise in the number of Chinese students enrolled in Cagayan schools has raised fears they may be spies or sleeper cells.

Racial undertones

In a forum on Saturday, Tuguegarao Mayor Maila Rosario Ting-Que described the issue of the increasing number of Chinese students in Cagayan as a “racist and politicized” matter, stressing that there was nothing irregular happening in the province.

“What did we do wrong? What has Tuguegarao done wrong? Can’t the Chinese stay here? Can’t those who only want a good education stay here?” Ting-Que said in Filipino.

“Tuguegarao is open to everyone who wants to come here as long as they are here legally and are not doing anything wrong. They are welcome to become students or residents,” she added.

She denied there were 4,600 Chinese students in one university.

“It’s not true that there are 4,600 Chinese students. It’s really disappointing. So that’s the way you look at us in Tuguegarao. That’s the way you look at our schools,” she said, adding that they were “very disappointed over the racial undertones this has taken on.”

Ting-Que emphasized that “there is nothing wrong with having foreigners” as she assured that they would still look into whether national security was compromised.

In the same forum, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba dismissed the security concerns associated with thousands of Chinese students in the province.

“If ever they are increasing, it’s not a surprise anymore. We are used to the Chinese here. In fact, we have three Chinese schools here,” he said.

Mamba said there were no untoward incidents involving Chinese nationals in Cagayan.

Sale of degrees

Meanwhile, Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to “promptly investigate” reports that Chinese students were paying up to P2 million to receive college degrees.

“While I strongly support the internationalization in our higher education institutions (HEIs), I vehemently oppose any practice allowing the proliferation of diploma mills in our country,” he said.

Gatchalian said the selling of diplomas or degrees “undermines” the government’s efforts to improve the country’s education quality.

“CHEd must impose appropriate penalties or sanctions on HEIs and their officials who condone such a practice. We should send a clear message to the world: diplomas from Philippine HEIs are not for sale,” he said.

Senator Francis Escudero called on Chester Cabalza, security analyst and founding president of the International Development and Security Cooperation, to file a complaint with the CHEd regarding the alleged sale of degrees by universities in Tuguegarao, Cagayan.

Cabalza, a Cagayanon, had exposed the influx of Chinese students in the province.

Senator Joel Villanueva made a similar call to the CHEd and the National Security Council, pointing out that “this issue does not only diminish the integrity of our education system but might also have implications on our national security.”

“We need to ensure that this is not a smokescreen for more questionable Chinese citizens entering the country, such as workers in illegal POGO operations. We thus urge the government to seriously consider implementing a permanent ban on illegal POGO operations in the country,” Villanueva said.

House probe

Cagayan 3rd District Representative Joseph Lara sought a House inquiry into the influx of Chinese students in his province.

Lara noted that at least 4,600 Chinese students were enrolled in one private university alone.

He said their presence in the province could threaten the country’s security amid China’s heightened aggression in the WPS.

“We just want to know why. We are not against having foreign students, but what we fear is we have an issue with China. If there are 4,600 Chinese students in one private university and the private university even admits it, it is very alarming,” Lara said.

No sale of degrees

In a joint statement issued over the weekend, the presidents of the Medical Colleges of Northern Philippines, University of Cagayan Valley, University of Saint Louis-Tuguegarao, and St. Paul University Philippine-Tuguegarao denied the sale of degrees to foreign students, saying the allegations were “grossly overstated and deeply offensive.”

They said the enrollment of foreign students in Cagayan is a testament to the province’s “commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and respect for human rights.”

“By welcoming students from other countries, the province is demonstrating its commitment to the values of tolerance, respect, and understanding. This can help create a more peaceful, harmonious, and inclusive society,” the statement said.

People-to-people exchanges

Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Manila defended the presence of Chinese students in the country, saying that “cultural and people-to-people exchanges have always been the most enduring and dynamic component of China-Philippines relations.”

The embassy’s spokesperson said, “China and the Philippines enjoy geographic proximity, strong cultural ties, and affinity between the two peoples.”

“As a result, we have seen in recent years our educational exchanges and cooperation growing fast, supporting a deeper mutual understanding between our two peoples and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges between our two countries,” he said.

The spokesperson criticized Filipino politicians who were “hyping up China-Philippines maritime issues and exaggerating the maritime differences in the name of national security to serve their political agenda and self-interest and undermine China-Philippines cooperation.”

He said the “unfounded accusation” against Manila-Beijing educational exchanges “is yet another malicious sleight of hand to incite suspicion and hatred of China.”