NEW IMMIGRATION OFFICERS. Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla (left) during the graduation ceremony of the 75 new immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Monday (May 15, 2023). Also in photo are (from left) Bureau of Immigration (BI) Deputy Commissioner Daniel Laogan, Commissioner Norman Tansingco, Deputy Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado and Undersecretary Jojo Cadiz. (Photo courtesy of BI)
MANILA – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Tuesday said a total of 75 new personnel will be deployed at the airports and its different offices nationwide.
According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, the newly graduated immigration officers (IOs) will address the manpower needs in airports and other offices.
"As we continually recover from the woes of the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, we need a new breed of officers to cope with the increasing volume of passengers," he said in a statement.
"We also trust that through this action, we strengthen our drive to combat human trafficking and thwart the entry of unwanted aliens in our borders," the BI chief added.
The new batch of IOs graduated under the BI’s Philippine Immigration Academy (PIA) located in Clark, Pampanga, and were formally recognized during a graduation ceremony at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 on Monday.
The graduates were composed of 22 females and 53 males. The ceremony was joined by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, who served as guest of honor and speaker.
“I am proud to have been given an opportunity to address you this morning,” the Justice secretary said in his speech.
“Soldiers you are, warriors you are, but given a task sometimes called so mundane, but actually very significant at a time when terrorism and other crimes have crossed borders without limit. You are the ones who limit the movement of people who will not do our country good favor,” he added.
Tansingco noted that the 75 underwent a new fast-tracked course that aims to provide "a brief and concise learning experience" for new IOs who will serve as frontliners in the country's premier airports.
All immigration officers undergo training under the BI-PIA on immigration laws, rules, and procedures. They were trained in-house at the NAIA to provide a more holistic, on-the-ground training.
Likewise, the new IOs were trained in the latest and best practices in the migration industry and are prepared to be deployed immediately after the course.
The Commissioner added that soft skills were included as part of the training, to improve the manner that immigration officers conduct their duties.
The 75 officers will augment the almost 1,000 personnel deployed in various international airports. (PNA)
