The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has asked relatives and friends of foreign nationals who have died to report their deaths to the agency for the cancellation of their alien certificate of registration identity card (ACRI-Card).
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente issued the reminder as they have not received any report of death of foreign national since the start of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic last year.
The BI chief explained that the 1950 Alien Registration Act requires relatives, or persons in charge of the burial of aliens to surrender the latter's ACRI-Card.
There were instances in the past that such deaths were deliberately not reported and the identity cards of the deceased aliens were simply transferred and used by illegal aliens.
Morente said it is the obligation of the said relatives and acquaintances of the deceased alien to report the death and surrender the identity card to the BI's alien registration division.
He said reporting such death is vital in monitoring the presence of aliens in the country.
"It will help us in formulating policies and actions in determining potential threats to public safety and health amid the pandemic," Morente said.
BI registration chief Jose Licas said the bureau is mandated by law to monitor the arrival, presence, activities, departure and even death of aliens.