The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has hired 100 new primary inspectors who will be assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and other ports in the country before the end of the year.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said the inspectors will be given the item of Immigration Officer 1, to fill up vacancies in the bureau’s plantilla.

Morente hailed Justice Secretary Menardo Guevara for approving the appointments of the new BI officers, saying it comes at an opportune time as the bureau anticipates a gradual reopening of the country’s borders to more international travelers.

According to BI personnel chief Grifton Medina, 94 of the newly-hired immigration officers have plantilla positions under the immigration regulation division, while six are under the port operations division.

Medina said the 100 are set to be deployed soon, upon submission of their required documents and completion of their extensive training on immigration laws, rules, and procedures.

However, due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the new employees will have to be trained through virtual learning sessions instead of the usual face-to-face, stay-in classes at the BI’s training academy in Clark, Pampanga.

Morente said the bulk of the new BI inspectors will be deployed to the NAIA, the country’s premiere port.

“We are hoping that our international flight operations will gradually return to normal before the year ends, following the government’s aggressive vaccine campaign to reopen its economy,” Morente said.