Newly appointed Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado on Thursday, Oct. 3, vowed to utilize fully information communication technology (ICT) to curb corruption in the bureau.
Viado was sworn into office last Sept. 30 by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla as BI commissioner after he served the post as officer-in-charge.
“We will take advantage of the aggressive thrust of the national government in terms of ICT,” Viado declared.
He also said the bureau will support legislative reforms to enhance its mandate.
"The Bureau is fully supportive of the President Marcos’ initiative to prioritize a new immigration law, which will enhance our operations and allow us to serve the public more effectively," he stressed.
He explained that the proposed new law will streamline immigration procedures and strengthen border security and improve the governance of immigration policies.
He lamented that the country’s 84-year-old Philippine Immigration Act is already outdated and an obstacle to the BI’s modernization efforts.
Also, he said his office will undertake a comprehensive review of the BI’s existing policies and procedures to identify inefficiencies and remove redundancies.
Viado's appointment completes the three-member BI Board of Commissioners which includes Commissioners Daniel Laogan and Aldwin Alegre.
Viado replaced then BI commissioner Norman Tansingco.
He finished his political science and law degrees from the University of the Philippines (UP), was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1999.
Before his BI stint, Viado worked at the House of Representatives and was a legal counsel of the Presidential Management Staff.