19 BI executives affected by reshuffle

MANILA, Philippines - At least 19 officials in different airports in the country were affected by the reshuffle at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) ordered by officer-in-charge Siegfred Mison.

In a statement, Mison said yesterday the reorganization was aimed at improving the BI’s service and prevent corruption in the agency.

He designated 12 immigration officers to key posts at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)’s four terminals while seven others were named acting head supervisors of the other airports.

“This is just the start of a major revamp that was initiated to further improve our operations in the airports, deter corruption and bolster the campaign against human trafficking and human smuggling in our ports of entry,” Mison said.

He said the rotation of assignments of BI personnel at the airports would be done regularly to prevent fraternization, which was seen as a major source of corruption among employees.

Ma. Carmelita Vitan is now acting chief of the bureau’s airport operations division (AOD) that oversees the BI’s activities at the NAIA and all the other international airports.

Eddie Santelices and Chona Marie Keyser were named AOD deputy chiefs for operations and administration, respectively, while Floro Balato Jr. was designated head of the travel control and enforcement unit.

Dennis Opiña, Rogelio Siapian, Mary Ann Velasco and Jaime de Guzman were reassigned as head supervisors of NAIA 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, and their deputies are Nenita Inciong, Jemma Driz, Ricardo Sarao and Sheila Rosacay.

Named head supervisors of airports outside Manila were Ma. Rhodora Abrazaldo (Clark),  Francis Oca (Laoag), Marlene Pedrealba (Mactan), Nimfa Edroso (Davao), Arlen Racho (Kalibo), Noel Bangeles (Iloilo), and Milagros Repulda (Zamboanga).