DAVAO CITY – Bureau of Immigrations (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morente has credited former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Bong Go’s efforts in improving the agency’s practices, which would hopefully lead to fewer passenger offloading incidents, especially those involving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“We thank SAP Bong Go for raising this concern to us and helping solve the problem. You see, a lot of OFWs get offloaded. That means they are prevented from boarding their flight,” Morente told reporters in Filipino at the Davao International Airport here.
Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente
(Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN) Due to the reported significant increase in deferred passengers and a recent alarming incident on the alleged unjust offloading of an OFW departing as tourist, the BI recommended the creation of guidelines for the pre-screening of passengers upon departure. Morente recently approved the forming of a working group from the Travel Enforcement Control Unit of the Bureau to assess how the pre-screening process of passengers will be implemented in order to attain smooth processing for OFWs. For his part, Go said that the Duterte administration has been supportive of the BI’s modernization program. “With this modernization program, we can have a professionalized BI that can address the current needs of our travelers,” he added. Go, who was present during the event, also thanked the Bureau for acting on the concerns he raised and for finding ways to ease the burdens on Filipino travelers. “Let us not make things difficult for the OFWs who toil for the bright future of their families,” he said. Go added that government programs like this are in line with President Duterte’s goal of improving the quality of life of every Filipino. “Ayaw talaga ng Pangulo ‘yung pumipila ng buong araw ang ating mga kababayan. ‘Yan ang lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin maski noong mayor pa lang siya. Ang tunay na serbisyo ay nakikita sa mga maliliit na bagay na magpapagaan ng buhay ng mga tao tulad nyan (It’s the President’s pet peeve to see people queuing the whole day. That’s what he always told me when he was still mayor. Real service can be seen in the small things that lessen the burden on people, such as this program),” he said. Davao airport E-gates inaugurated Go, an aspiring senator, gave his remarks during the inauguration of the Electronic Gate System (E-gates) at the Davao International Airport. He also thanked the BI for the project, which shortens the time spent by Filipinos at the immigration lines upon their arrival from abroad. Aside from the pre-screening of passengers prior to departure, Go also said that other initiatives of BI such as the installation of E-Gates will make things easier for travelers arriving in the country. The two E-Gates at Davao International Airport are the first electronic immigration gates in Mindanao. There are also two E-Gates at NAIA 2, five at NAIA Terminal 1 and 3, three at the MactanAirport in Cebu, and two at Clark Airport in Pampanga. “ Filipinos, especially those working overseas, no longer have to present their passports to an immigration officer for manual checking. They only have to tap their passports on the machine. The processing time is reduced from the usual 45 seconds to just 8 to 15 seconds." Go also stressed that if elected, he will prioritize the welfare of overseas Filipinos and push for legislation that will reduce red tape and corruption. He also vowed to make government services more accessible to the people just like in the Malasakit Centers.
Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente(Ali Vicoy / MANILA BULLETIN) Due to the reported significant increase in deferred passengers and a recent alarming incident on the alleged unjust offloading of an OFW departing as tourist, the BI recommended the creation of guidelines for the pre-screening of passengers upon departure. Morente recently approved the forming of a working group from the Travel Enforcement Control Unit of the Bureau to assess how the pre-screening process of passengers will be implemented in order to attain smooth processing for OFWs. For his part, Go said that the Duterte administration has been supportive of the BI’s modernization program. “With this modernization program, we can have a professionalized BI that can address the current needs of our travelers,” he added. Go, who was present during the event, also thanked the Bureau for acting on the concerns he raised and for finding ways to ease the burdens on Filipino travelers. “Let us not make things difficult for the OFWs who toil for the bright future of their families,” he said. Go added that government programs like this are in line with President Duterte’s goal of improving the quality of life of every Filipino. “Ayaw talaga ng Pangulo ‘yung pumipila ng buong araw ang ating mga kababayan. ‘Yan ang lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin maski noong mayor pa lang siya. Ang tunay na serbisyo ay nakikita sa mga maliliit na bagay na magpapagaan ng buhay ng mga tao tulad nyan (It’s the President’s pet peeve to see people queuing the whole day. That’s what he always told me when he was still mayor. Real service can be seen in the small things that lessen the burden on people, such as this program),” he said. Davao airport E-gates inaugurated Go, an aspiring senator, gave his remarks during the inauguration of the Electronic Gate System (E-gates) at the Davao International Airport. He also thanked the BI for the project, which shortens the time spent by Filipinos at the immigration lines upon their arrival from abroad. Aside from the pre-screening of passengers prior to departure, Go also said that other initiatives of BI such as the installation of E-Gates will make things easier for travelers arriving in the country. The two E-Gates at Davao International Airport are the first electronic immigration gates in Mindanao. There are also two E-Gates at NAIA 2, five at NAIA Terminal 1 and 3, three at the MactanAirport in Cebu, and two at Clark Airport in Pampanga. “ Filipinos, especially those working overseas, no longer have to present their passports to an immigration officer for manual checking. They only have to tap their passports on the machine. The processing time is reduced from the usual 45 seconds to just 8 to 15 seconds." Go also stressed that if elected, he will prioritize the welfare of overseas Filipinos and push for legislation that will reduce red tape and corruption. He also vowed to make government services more accessible to the people just like in the Malasakit Centers.