Subject:  STRENGTHENING THE TRAVEL CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT

                 UNIT (TCEU) UNDER THE AIRPORT OPERATIONS DIVISION (AOD)

                 AND DEFINING THE DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS THEREOF

            WHEREAS, under Section 3, Commonwealth Act No. 613, otherwise known as “The Philippines Immigration Act of 1940,” as amended, in relation to Section 36 of Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as the “Administrative Code of 1987,” provides that: (1) The head of a bureau or office shall prescribe forms and issue circulars or orders to secure the harmonious and efficient administration of his bureau or office and to carry into full effect the laws relating to matters within his jurisdiction. x x x

                  WHEREAS, paragraph (2) thereof states: “Heads of Bureaus or offices are authorized to issue orders regarding the administration of their internal affairs for the guidance of or compliance by their officers and employees;”

                  WHEREAS, due to the emerging trends in migration management and faced with the additional duty of battling trafficking in persons pursuant to Republic Act No. 9208, otherwise known as the “Anti- Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003” and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), the Bureau of Immigration (BI) is in need to establish a Unit to focus on its efforts to combat human trafficking.

                 WHEREAS, pursuant to Memorandum Order No. RPL-10-001 dated 02 August 2010, a Bureau of Immigration TRAVEL CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT UNIT (TCEU) was established in all major ports of the country.

                  WHEREFORE, in response to the mandate of the Bureau and for purposes of elevating its standard operational procedure at our international ports of entry and exit, this Memorandum Order is hereby issued with the following provision:

1.    The Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) is hereby strengthened and shall be under the direct operational control and supervision of the Chief, Airport Operations Division (AOD);

2.    The TCEU shall be headed by an Over-all Team Leader who shall report to the Chief, Airport Operations Division and to the respective Terminal Head Supervisor.

3.    The TCEU shall be stationed in all ports of entry and exit of the country, subject to the duty schedule duly approved by the AOD Chief from time to time or as the need so arises;

4.    All TCEU officers and members, in accordance with the AOD organizational structure, shall perform the following duties and functions: 

A)    During Departures, TCEU officers and members are duty-bound to:

i)                            Implement strict departure formalities for certain Philippine nationals pursuant to Memorandum Order No. RPL-10-004 dated 09 August 2010, in relation to Republic Act No. 9208, otherwise known as the “Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003” and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR); 

ii)                           Conduct, in a respectful and professional manner, interview of passengers referred for secondary inspection by the duty supervisor or the duty immigration officers at the counter to determine their purpose of travel. All passengers subject for interview by the TCEU must fully accomplish the BI Indicator Checklist to determine purpose of travel. The TCEU officer/member shall conduct the interview of passengers for secondary inspection at the duly designated TCEU counter. The interviewing TCEU member/officer must clearly indicate on the indicator list the requirements presented by the interviewed passenger, the result of the inspection, whether allowed or disallowed to leave the country, and the basis of such decision.

iii)                Conduct redundancy check on travel documents of departing passengers;

iv)                        Offload passengers with fraudulent travel documents, doubtful purpose of travel, including possible victims of human trafficking.

v)                           Document and report any person verified to be escorting passengers and facilitating and/or influencing the decision and evaluation of immigration officers, supervisors and TCEU members on admissibility or excludability of passengers expert upon specific clearance from the Immigration Commissioner; and  

B)     During Arrivals, duly assigned TCEU officers and members are duty-bound to:

i)                    Monitor and profile arriving passengers and make sure that they pass through primary inspection line;

ii)                  Conduct interview and verification of travel documents of passengers before primary inspection or upon referral by immigration officer for secondary inspection.

iii)                Sign the Exclusion Order together with the duty supervisor, in the event that a passenger has been found to be excludable under existing immigration laws. Any disagreement on the part of the immigration officers and TCEU member on matters of passenger’s exclusion and admissibility shall be referred to the supervisor on duty. If passenger is found admissible by the TCEU officer, the immigration officer shall be relieved of any responsibility thereof

iv)                Accomplish the recommendation for blacklisting of the excluded passenger together with the duty supervisor if the condition or law so warrants; and

5.    All TCEU officers and members shall not desert their respective posts unless properly relieved by incoming officers/members provided that said relinquishment of duty/assignment shall be preceded by proper turn-over of accountability at the end of the tour of duty;

6.    All duly assigned TCEU officers and members shall observe strict confidentiality of information gathered in the course of the performance of their duties. Release of any information shall not be made expect upon prior clearance of the TCEU Over-all Team Leader or the AOD Chief.

7.    Regular reports shall be consolidated by the TCEU Over-all Team Leader for submission to the AOD Chief Office or to the Commissioner as may be required;

8.    The AOD Chief may design or re-design the TCEU Indicator checklist and other TCEU forms to suit to the planning and information requirements of the AOD and/or Office of the Commissioner.

9.    In the exigency of the service, perform other official functions as may be assigned from time to time by the AOD Chief or by the TCEU Over-all Team Leader.

            Violation of any of the operating provisions of this Order shall give rise to administrative disciplinary action, and, whenever warranted, criminal prosecution.

               All memoranda, orders, circulars and previous issuances not consistent herewith are hereby deemed revoked.

               This Order shall take effect immediately.

                      JUN 30 2011

                                                                                                (Sgd) RICARDO A. DAVID, JR

                                                                                                              Commissioner