MANILA, Philippines - Despite the drop in tourist arrivals as a result of the continuing global economic slowdown, the Bureau of Immigration managed to surpass its target income in the first half of 2009 earning more than a billion pesos.
“These may be tough times, but we’re looking at it as a challenge,” said Immigration Commissioner Nonoy Libanan.
Libanan said that from January to June this year, the bureau collected a total of P1.045 billion, which is 11 percent more than its target income of P936 million in the first semester and P17-million higher than the actual take in 2008. The highest take was during the holiday season, particularly in January when the bureau’s revenue collection totaled more than P216 million, a far cry from the targeted income of P193 million for the said month.
“This is an achievement for us despite the drop in foreign tourist arrivals and even without imposing any increase in our fees,” he told The STAR yesterday in a chance interview.
Statistics showed that a total of 1,220,494 foreigners arrived in the country from January to May, compared with 1,307,611 who arrived in the same period last year.
Americans topped the list with 292,420 arrivals, followed by Koreans at 213,131. Also in the top 10 list were Japanese, 140,685; Chinese, 94,665; Australians, 55,235; Canadians, 53,468; Britons, 51,831; Taiwanese, 36,377; Malaysians, 29,215; and Germans, 27,106.
In 2008, Americans also topped the list with 310,343; followed by Koreans with 269,181; Japanese, 163,666; Chinese, 99,056; Australians; 55,580; Canadians, 55,023; Great Britain, 54,021; Taiwanese, 48,065; Malaysians, 28,353; and Germans, 27,010, Libanan said. The huge income was also attributed to the bureau’s enhanced field offices and subports in the provinces, he said.
“This is a continuation of our fear in 2008 when the BI broke records upon reaching the P2-billion bracket,” he said. He noted that 2008 saw the launching of the visa-issuance-made-simple (VIMS) project which contributed to the sharp increase in revenues as it bolstered the confidence of foreigners in the country’s immigration service.
Considered as Libanan’s flagship project, the VIMS reduced the processing time and requirements for visa applications at the BI by an average of 58 percent.
In her report to Libanan, BI finance chief Elvira Presado said that of the P1.045 billion earned during the first semester, P683.3 million was collected at the bureau’s main office while P362 million was earned by the different BI field offices and subports nationwide.