It will be a working holiday for officials of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) as they will be on duty at the airports to supervise the immigration processing of arriving and departing international travelers during the Holy Week.

 

            Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. issued a personnel order directing 44 BI officials to report at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on various work shifts from April 4 to 9.

 

            Among them are BI Associate Commissioner Abdullah Mangotara and Executive Director Eric Dimaculangan who will be on duty on Holy Wednesday and Black Saturday, respectively.

            The others are the bureau’s division and section chiefs and heads of specialized offices and units, including 22 lawyers and several veteran immigration supervisors.

 

            BI Associate Commissioner Siegfred Mison, on the other hand, was assigned to oversee the bureau’s operations at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark Field, Pampanga.

           

            In his directive, David said he was designating the BI officials as his official representatives to the airports for the duration of the Holy Week.

 

            He said the order aims to “ensure the smooth and orderly implementation of arrival and departure formalities” for passengers of international flights.

 

            Atty. Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI spokesperson, said the deployment of BI officials to the airports demonstrates that the agency is serious in its resolve to keep the country off-limits to undesirable aliens who might take advantage of the holidays to slip into the country.

 

            “This also sends a signal to the illegal recruiters and human traffickers that they are being closely watched and that their victims will be stopped should they try to leave,” Mangrobang added.