Aguirre tells beleaguered BI officers: ‘We’re in this together’

Justice Sec. Vitaliano Aguirre visits Bureau of Immigration officials to conduct a dialogue with them regarding their work grievances and preparations for the Holy Week exodus. PHOTO FROM DOJ

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Friday visited the Bureau of Immigration (BI) personnel in Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and assured them that their issues regarding their working conditions will be addressed.

“I told them that the BI is part of the DOJ Family. As the father of the DOJ Family, I am very much aware of their current circumstances and we are working to address their concerns at the soonest possible time. We talked. They talked and we listened. We are in this together,” said Aguirre, who was accompanied by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente and Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Erickson Balmes, Undersecretary-in-Charge of the BI.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to stop the overtime pay of employees from the BI assigned in various ports around the country causing a mass exodus has put the country’s national security at risk.

READ: Mass resignations, leaves plague immigration bureau

Thirty-two immigration officers have resigned since Feb. 17 and 50 more have filed for leaves of up to six months to look for new jobs. More than 3,000 employees of the bureau have gone on leave since Feb. 17.

Aguirre and Morente have already appealed to President Duterte to reconsider his decision nixing the overtime pay.

The Justice secretary also went to see the preparations at the Naia for the expected exodus during Holy Week.

“Based on what I have seen, I believe that BI has all bases covered with their contingent plans. We wish to reassure the arriving and the departing public that we will do our job,” Aguirre said.

“To the best of our abilities, our BI personnel will serve the public not only during the Holy Week but also during our upcoming hosting of the Asean 2017. We are here to serve and we will serve everyone, professionally and with integrity,” he added.

Last Wednesday, Morente ordered the cancellation of all approved leave applications of employees for April to augment the BI personnel in all ports particularly in airports this coming Lenten break.

The BI also deployed 170 of its employees to assist immigration processing of arriving and departing international passengers.

READ: All work, no leaves for BI staff this month