Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Jakarta, Suarajatim.com – Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly is grateful for the award he received from the Philippine government.
Yasonna was awarded the 2021 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) from Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
“I am very grateful and grateful for the award from the Philippine government. It is an extraordinary award, and for me it is a surprise," said Yasonna, Tuesday (1/3/2022).
Yasonna was awarded the award because she was considered meritorious for policies in the immigration sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Philippine government considers the immigration policy in Indonesia during the Covid-19 pandemic to prioritize safety, security, and a strong sense of humanity.
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Directorate General of Immigration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights issued various policies in the field of Visas. In 2020, no less than five times Immigration adjusted the visa policy in line with the government's efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19. This started on February 5, 2020 through Permenkumham No. 3.
Immigration became the first agency to issue regulations for handling Covid-19, even before the establishment of the Covid-19 Task Force. This policy was then followed up with Permenkumham 7, 8, 11, and 26.
Yasonna said that the Covid-19 pandemic had forced many things to do with the new normal, including immigration policies. He emphasized that policies related to immigration, such as residence permits for foreign nationals (WNA) as well as access to and from Indonesia, were all implemented with safety in mind.
“As the Minister of Law and Human Rights, apart from laws and regulations, I am also obliged to ensure that policies are in line with human rights. Policies during the pandemic, immigration, of course prioritize safety. Because the safety of citizens is a human right that must be protected," said Yasonna.
The dynamics of visa arrangements will continue in 2021 with the issuance of Permenkumham No. 27 and 34. The current visa policy refers to Permenkumham No. 34 of 2021, among others: free Visit Visa and temporarily suspended Visa on Arrival; visas that can be granted to foreigners are only visas whose types of activities are in line with the direction of government policy in national economic recovery; foreigners are required to have a guarantor/sponsor in Indonesia, this is enforced with the aim of guaranteeing the existence of their activities during this very dynamic Covid-19 pandemic; and foreigners are required to fulfill the required health protocol documents in applying for a visa, such as having been fully vaccinated and having insurance or a statement to bear the costs independently if affected by Covid-19 while in Indonesia.
"It turns out that these policies are appreciated, this is certainly an energy boost for us at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights in providing the best service for all," continued the Chair of the Legal and Human Rights Division of the PDI-P.
The Government of the Philippines through the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) announced that individuals and organizations were awarded the 2021 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas (PAFIOO) from the President. Philippines Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
In addition to Yasonna Laoly, recipients of the Kaanib ng Bayan Award are Issa Mohammad Ahmad (Jordan), Montero Medical Missions (United States), Philippine Bayanihan Society-Singapore (Singapore), Temasek Foundation, Ltd. (Singapore).
“Thank you to the Philippine government and to Filipino citizens in Indonesia. This award is an increase in our enthusiasm in serving the community and hopefully the Indonesia-Philippines friendship will continue to be well established," said Yasonna.
Kaanib ng Bayan or Ally of the Nation is an award given by the Philippine government to individuals and organizations outside the Philippines for outstanding or significant contributions to Filipino citizens or communities abroad.
The award recipients' decisions go through a rigorous selection starting from nominations recommended by institutions and organizations for Filipinos abroad. There are 56 recipients of awards from the Philippine government from 117 nominations from 31 countries.
PAFIOO has four award categories – apart from Kaanib ng Bayan, other awards are Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (Linkapil), Pamana ng Pilipino, and Banaag. (*)