Nearly 400 Bureau of Immigration personnel assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were reshuffled as part of continuing efforts by the agency to curb corruption in the ranks.
BI port operations division chief Carlos Capulong said a total of 398 immigration officers rendering primary inspection duties at the premiere port were affected by the reshuffle.
He said it was the second rotation of BI-NAIA personnel this year, the first one implemented last March.
Capulong explained that the move aims to prevent fraternization among the bureau’s airport personnel.
He added that aside from BI officers manning the NAIA’s immigration counters, the bureau has also been implementing a daily reshuffle of the terminal assignments of more than 80 immigration supervisors.
Meanwhile, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente announced that the BI is set to begin training 195 newly-hired immigration officers.
Morente said the new employees, whose appointments were signed by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, will commence their training program on immigration laws, rules and procedures at the BI academy located in Clark, Pampanga. The BI chief welcomed the appointment of the new BI inspectors as it will augment the number of personnel not only at the NAIA but in the other international airports as well.
“We expect these new officers to assume their duties this September and their deployment will definitely solve our perennial problem of lack of manpower in our airports,” Morente said.]