The Bureau of Immigration (BI) deported more than 3,000 illegal aliens this year.
Data obtained from the BI’s Deportation and Implementation Unit (DIU) showed that a total of 3,142 were deported from January to November 2021.
Of the number, majority or 2,875 were Chinese, 90 were Koreans, 81 were Vietnamese, 27 were Japanese, while 19 were Americans.
According to BI-DIU head Atty. Victor Andrew Siriban, in 2020, the BI deported 3,219 aliens, many of which have been arrested for being fugitives from justice, undesirable, or overstaying.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said that despite the pandemic, they will continue deporting aliens who have violated the Philippine Immigration Act.
“The pandemic will not be a hindrance in cleansing our country of these illegal aliens,” said Morente. “Foreigners who blatantly violate our laws will be deported and blacklisted,” he warned.
BI opens new planning office
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced the establishment of a new division which is responsible for monitoring and overseeing the conceptualization and implementation of the agency’s programs and projects.
According to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, the new planning and policy division (PPD) is now fully operational with the recent designation of personnel who will man and operate its office which is temporarily housed at the BF condominium bldg. near the bureau’s main office in Intramuros, Manila.
Morente said the creation of the PPD, headed by its officer-in-charge, senior immigration officer Jasmin Jamiuddin, is necessary to ensure direction and monitoring of the plans and programs of the BI.
“We thank all government agencies involved in approving our request to set aside a budget for this new division as it will surely enhance our ability to plan, implement and monitor our programs and projects in the coming years and accelerate the development of our bureau into a modern and proud agency of government,” the BI chief said.
Morente added that 19 BI personnel, mostly immigration officers and a few contractual workers, have been assigned to the PPD early this month to facilitate the smooth operation of the new office by the start of next year.
It was learned that among the priority programs of the BI in 2022 is to work for the expansion of the BI’s ISO certification to include its operations at several major airports in the country.
Previously, the ISO 9001:2015 certification was awarded to the bureau’s operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and its tourist visa section at the main office.
The BI will also endeavor to expand the scope of the bureau’s electronic gates (e-gates) scheme at the NAIA.
Also being worked out is the automation of the and interlinkage of the bureau’s primary, secondary and tertiary inspection systems at the NAIA and other ports.
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