Bureau of Immigration reshuffles 8 senior officials as ‘good governance’ measure

MANILA, Philippines—The Bureau of Immigration said on Tuesday that its mother agency, the Department of Justice, has approved an internal reorganization affecting at least eight senior officials.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima approved the proposal of the BI management headed by Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. to reassign four of the bureau’s division chiefs as well as four other officials who were reassigned or transferred to other posts.

In a statement, the BI said it received from the DOJ the official copy of the department order on the reassignment signed by De Lima on Monday afternoon.

Lawyer Ronaldo Ledesma, chair of the BI board of special inquiry (BSI), was named acting alien registration division (ARD) chief while immigration regulation division (IRD) chief Alberto Braganza was designated acting chief of the administrative division in place of lawyer Felino Quirante Jr. who was reassigned to the office of the DOJ secretary.

Meanwhile, current ARD chief Danilo Almeda will take over Braganza’s post as acting IRD chief while lawyer Estanislao Canta, BI-Makati City extension office head, will be the acting BSI chair.

Lawyer Edmund Macaraeg, BI-Pasay extension office head, was reassigned to the Makati office.

Macaraeg was also designated concurrent ARD assistant chief, replacing Manuel Ferdinand Arbas, who is now assistant chief of the bureau’s center for training and research.

Lawyer Grace Lara, head of the BI student desk, was reassigned to the BI commissioner’s office as head executive assistant, replacing lawyer Jose Carlitos Licas who was earlier named executive assistant to the commissioner for airport operations.

David justified the reassignment as necessary, saying it was carried out in accordance with President Aquino’s program to encourage a more vibrant bureaucracy and institute good governance in all government agencies.

He said the reassignment aimed to further develop the skills and harness the potentials of the bureau’s officials as they have been tasked to perform new functions.

David added that aside from helping BI officials further grow their careers, the reassignment would enable the bureau’s employees to be more dynamic and resourceful in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities as civil servants.

“It is not good management to allow officials in an organization, especially in government to continue performing routine and habitual functions as it is prejudicial and detrimental to the interest of the service.” the BI chief said.