Immigration execs implement new screening rules for intl travelers

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday began implementing new guidelines for the screening of international travelers to ensure that passengers will not be unneccesarily prevented from leaving the country.   The BI personnel at the immigration’s arrival and departure counters have also been instructed to extend utmost courtesy to international travelers.   Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. cited the new screening rules after the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) last week enjoined the BI to implement its “BI Cares” program in all ports of entry.   David said BI-Cares stands for: “Courtesy, Accountability, Responsibility, Efficiency and Service.” The program hopes to address complaints from passengers who were barred from leaving the country after being suspected of being human trafficking victims or undocumented overseas contract workers.   “We will implement these guidelines to the letter so that these issues about the alleged harassment and extortion by BI employees are finally addressed,” David said. New guidelines   The new guidelines set definite parameters in preventing suspected human trafficking and illegal recruitment victims from leaving the country.   Under the latest guidelines, Filipino workers without the required overseas employment certificate from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration shall not be allowed to leave the country.   Passengers suspected of being human trafficking and illegal recruitment victims will be subjected to secondary inspection based on their age, educational attainment and financial capacity.   The rules also define specific requirements for each category of departing passengers:

• tourist travellers,
• overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) -- first time and returning OFWs;
• immigration or permanent visa holders abroad, and
• those with special purposes in going abroad.

Human smuggling   Earlier, the Philippine government’s anti-human trafficking task force intensified its drive against human smuggling or human trafficking, the illegal trade in human beings for forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation.
  Authorities at the airports ,particularly at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, have drawn up plans  to prevent human trafficking of undocumented workers.   The immigration, Department of Labor and Employment, NBI, police, and other airport officials have discussed plans for an effective application of law against human smuggling.  - B. L. Vergara, VVP, GMA News