NBI-6 assures faster release of clearance

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Long lines are still a common sight at the National Bureau of Investigation-Western Visayas (Region 6) but getting a clearance is now made faster, according to its top official the other day.

NBI-6 regional director Elfren Meneses told The FREEMAN that an applicant could now get his or her clearance within the day, at least for applicants who filed starting August 12. In most cases, a clearance is released within two hours from the time the applicant submitted his form for processing, he said.

With the NBI's Biometric Clearance System (BCS), which in line with its program of optimizing the use of information technology in its front line services, the process in getting a clearance is made faster, said Meneses.

Under the new system, a computer "captures" the image and fingerprints of the applicant. If the applicant has no derogatory record, he or she gets a certificate clearing him for either local or overseas employment, he said.

Meneses however admitted that NBI-6 has problems with the release of clearances, which applications were filed between July 5 and August 11. This problem started after Mega Data Corporation pulled out its hardware and software when its contract with the NBI ended June 30 after more than 30 years of being the bureau's information technology provider.

Before the termination of contract, a bidding was conducted but it only resulted in a failure of bidding. "Ang nangyari, we hired a different service provider kaya ang July nabitin. We went back to manual processing," he said.

Under the manual processing, Meneses said an applicant would fill up the form and undergo finger printing then it will be sent to Manila for processing. The applicants were told that it would be processed within 10 working days. But more than a month later, applicants were still waiting for their clearances.

"Mahirap talaga kasi whole country ang dapat i-process within that time and with limited personnel," Meneses said, adding that this situation further worsened when some clearances were misrouted to Batangas and even to Mindanao.

For those who claimed they were in hurry to get their clearances, NBI-6 advised them to reapply but they have to pay. "That is, kung hindi sila makakapaghintay. Pero kung nag-reapply sila at dumating din 'yung clearance, it would still be given to them," Meneses said. So far, NBI Manila only forwarded clearances of those who applied last July 6, 7, and 8.

Earlier, some job applicants complained of long lines while applying for an NBI clearance under the agency's new biometric system, and the wait of three weeks to more than a month for the release of the certificate. Others claimed that they failed to get back to work abroad because their NBI clearances were not immediately released. — THE FREEMAN