Additional Immigration officers were deployed at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport in time for the full operation of the airport’s new passenger terminal on July 1, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.
In a statement, Morente said that 12 Immigration officers were initially issued orders to report to MCIA to conduct immigration inspection for arriving and departing international travelers.
“The BI fully supports the vigorous efforts of the President to market the Philippines as a prime tourist destination, thus our commitment to render quality service to the traveling public in our international ports,” Morente said.
He disclosed that with the deployment of the additional manpower, there are now 112 Immigration personnel rendering administrative and primary line duties to the thousands of passengers who enter and exit the Mactan airport daily. Vito Barcelo
“We shall be fielding more personnel to MCIA in the coming months as we continue to hire new immigration officers who will augment our manpower not only in Mactan but in the other international ports as well,” Morente said.
According to BI OIC Deputy Commissioner Marc Red Mariñas, who heads the Bureau’s Port Operations Division (POD), the 12 immigration officers deployed to MCIA is only the latest in several batches of BI personnel already deployed to the Mactan airport.