The ETSA Program for Guam Tourists and Filipino Travelers?

Guam Tourism?

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Department of Homeland Security is proposing changes to the application process for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, which is required for travel into the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

There are more than three dozen VWP-designated countries, including Japan and South Korea, which are major source markets for Guam's tourism industry. But where is the Philippines in this mix?

In 2024, approximately 4 million Filipinos traveled to other ASEAN countries, with 656,544 of them traveling to Singapore, which is the second most popular destination for Filipino tourists. Was the Philippines even mentioned in the ESTA program? Maybe it's time for Guam to get seriously serious about the VOA for Filipinos. Guam could sure use the boost! Guam's political leaders should stop talking about it and get it done NOW!

As part of the proposed changes, CBP will be adding social media as a mandatory data element for an ESTA application to comply with the president's January executive order titled "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats."

Hurdles and Hoops.

The order essentially called for enhanced vetting and screening for travel and immigration into the U.S., and for example, ESTA applicants would need to provide their social media from the last five years under this proposed change and more. This only creates hurdles and can ultimately and negatively affect tourism for Guam. Why would anyone want to jump through all these hoops when they could more easily travel elsewhere, like to other great destinations like Malaysia, Indonesia, or Singapore?

Recently, Philippine Air Lines expanded air service from Cebu direct to Guam and, according to new sources, will give millions more Filipinos easier access to flights to Guam. In reality what it does is give more Filipinos (and eligible travelers) more convenient access to travel back to the central Philippines (Visayas), avoiding Manila. While the Guam Daily Post news organization mentions that metropolitan Cebu is the second largest city in the Philippines after Metro Manila, with a population of more than 3 million people, this is not to say it opens Guam up to new tourism. My wife's family has at least a half -dozen members who could afford to come to Guam and spend money today. But they cannot due to overly stringent U.S. visa application policies leading to costly denials.

Show Us the Projections, Not Political Optics!

A Guam delegation led by Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero, that also included officials from the Philippine Consulate General in Guam, the Guam Visitors Bureau, and the Guam International Airport Authority were aboard the inaugural flight, PR120, that arrived on the 16th of December 2025 to the Mactan-Cebu International Airport.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era, one filled with easier travel, deeper friendships, stronger cultural ties, and even greater possibilities for our communities,” Guam Governor Leon Guerrero said at the launch ceremony. But in this author's opinion, it falls way short on the tourism front without the Visa on Arrival for Filipino tourists. What it really means is more convenience to those who are already eligible for travel. For me especially!

Read the published news story here: Philippine Airlines launches new Guam-Cebu flights | Local Business | postguam.com