Philippine immigration cards with Belo Medical Group ad create a stir

The cosmetic surgery company, led by Dr. Vicky Belo, issued a statement saying that it had gone through the normal process of advertising in the immigration card and “did not approach anyone in the government to get the deal.”

Immigration cards currently carry a glamourous shot of Dr. Belo, with the tag-line ’20 years of making people beautiful’.

Printing of the immigration cards is currently handled by Extend, but the Bureau of Immigration says it plans to cancel that contract, which was entered into by the previous Arroyo administration.

Immigration officer-in-charge Ronaldo Ledesma reportedly said that Extend failed to gain clearance from his office before placing the advertisements on the cards. 

But the Belo Medical Group is defending the ad package, saying it is the company’s way to promote and support medical tourism in the Philippines.

The cards also function as coupons that offer passengers discount on some services offered by the company. The cosmetic firm said only 1.2 million arrival and departure cards bearing the Belo advertisement will be printed for October.