BI bracing for possible influx of Christmas travelers

The Bureau of Immigration’s counters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it will deploy 100 newly hired immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and other international airports in time for the anticipated influx and exodus of travelers during the holiday season.

In a statement on Tuesday, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said he expects the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release the appointment papers of the newly hired BI personnel before the month ends so they could undergo training immediately and assume their posts this November.

Morente said most of the new applicants were previously contractual employees “who have served the BI for many years,” and were “always by-passed or left out of the job selection process although they are qualified and have civil service eligibility.”

“As we have stated before, it is about time that we recognize the services of these employees by rewarding them with permanent items in our plantilla,” the BI chief said.

With the hiring of additional personnel, Morente said he foresees lesser passenger queues at the Naia’s immigration counters during the Asean summit and the holiday season.

An applicant for Immigration Officer I should be a professional civil service eligible and a holder of a four-year college degree, BI Chief Personnel Officer and acting spokesman Grifton Medina said.

“We have been careful and meticulous in our screening and selection process to make sure that our recruits are competent and qualified to discharge their duties as Border Control Officers of our country,” Medina said. /jpv