Immigration decentralization drive underway

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration is aggressively pursuing its decentralization drive with the creation of additional regional immigration area offices (IAOs) throughout the country.

This developed as Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera approved the proposal of Immigration commissioner Marcelino Libanan to create six more IAOs instead of the previously established 10.

Devanadera also approved Libanan’s recommendation to designate overall immigration directors who will oversee the operation of the IAOs for National Capital Region, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The office will render full immigration services to its clients including its intelligence, law and legal enforcement functions.

BI executive director Franklin Littaua was named chairman of the bureau’s regional regionalization program and was tasked to coordinate and supervise the operations of all the IAOs in the NCR.

Devanadera’s memorandum order, which amended a Department of Justice order last May establishing 10 IAO’s nationwide, takes effect in January.

“The new offices were created pursuant to the regionalization program that Libanan initiated to decentralize the BI’s operation and bring the Agency’s services closer to foreigners based in the provinces,” Littaua said.

The project also aims to enhance the BI’s capability to monitor and go after illegal aliens in the provinces to prevent human trafficking in the different subports by fielding more BI operatives and immigration officers to various regions of the country.

Under the new set up, there are now a total of 16 IAOs nationwide, five of which are in the NCR.

It will now have five IAO, which are based in Manila and in the cities of Mandaluyong, Caloocan, Quezon and Parañaque.

Libanan, together with Parañaque City Mayor Florencio Bernabe and other BI officials recently inaugurated the IAO NCR-South in Neo Chinatown, Macapagal Avenue. The NCR-South is being headed by lawyer Henry Tubban Jr.

Littaua also said that Region 1 and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) under IAO-1 will be based in San Fernando City, La Union, while IAO-11 that covers Region 2 will have its headquarters in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

IAO-111 which includes the Central Luzon provinces will have its office in Angeles City, Pampanga, while Region V-A 9 Cavite, Laguna Batangas and Quezon) will be based in Batangas City.

The Bicol region and other southern Tagalog provinces under IAO-V-A are based in Naga City.