BI offloads 37,856 air and sea passengers last year

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has prevented a total of 37,856 overseas-bound Filipinos and 2,300 foreigners from leaving the country in 2017 as part of its efforts to curb human trafficking.

In a report, Marc Red Mariñas, port operations division chief, said the travelers were not allowed to depart from the country’s international airports and seaports last year for their failure to comply with government requirements and the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.

Most of the offloaded passengers, also known as “tourist workers,” were bound for the Middle East, Europe, Asia and North America.  —JULIE M. AURELIO