The Philippines has taken a firm stance against a visiting American national, banning him from entering the country after he displayed what the Bureau of Immigration (BI) termed “rude conduct” and provided “false and profane information” in the eTravel system.

The incident highlights the importance of respecting the established procedures for visitors to the Philippines.

The individual in question has been identified as Anthony Joseph Laurence, who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Upon his arrival, Laurence was reminded by immigration officers to fill out the eTravel form as required, but the foreigner allegedly responded with aversion.

In an incident that raised eyebrows, he reportedly angrily tossed his passport and mobile phone at an immigration officer.

The eTravel system was introduced to replace traditional paper-based arrival and departure cards, and travelers are expected to complete this form at least 72 hours before arriving in the Philippines.

Failure to comply with this requirement not only reflects disrespect but also disrupts the efficiency of the system, according to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco.

“After verifying in our system, the officer discovered that the passenger keyed in a made-up address in the Philippines, did not include his full name, and inputted profane words in his entry,” said Tansingco, highlighting the extent of the individual’s behavior.

While immigration officers are generally advised to exercise maximum tolerance, Laurence’s actions were deemed to have “overstepped his boundaries,” as stated by Tansingco.

As a result, the American national was deported and placed on the country’s blacklist, which means he is permanently barred from entering the Philippines.

Tansingco emphasized the BI’s commitment to ensuring a smooth experience for all travelers while expecting them to conduct themselves with respect and adhere to the established procedures.

Any violations of these procedures will be dealt with firmly, he warned.

This incident is part of a broader trend, as the BI has banned 44 foreigners from entering the Philippines this year for showing disrespect to symbols of Philippine authority.

However, not everyone was quick to condemn the visiting American, with some Filipino netizens pointing out that issues like the quality of government service and subpar facilities in the country might contribute to such incidents.

One Facebook user, Jed Dy, noted, “You have to understand as well why foreigners express such behavior. Poor facilities and quality of service and multiple incidents of corruption and misconduct involving BI. Good Luck Philippines.”

Another netizen, Paul Ross, remarked, “Someone should have told him he can have a fit in his home country, but might want to be a bit more respectful when visiting another country. You’re a guest.”

Yet another perspective came from an expat named Paul Redden, who said, “I have this argument with a lot of Americans. It is normal and expected to express frustration in America to have your needs addressed but not here to the same extent. Once you have been here a while you start to notice it in other Americans.”

An expat from Africa added, “I think ignorance is at play in some of the Americans. I remember encountering a similar situation with one American in Dumaguete City. He came where I was seated and he started shouting at me and started telling people who sat next to me that I am coming from a poor country.”