Bureau of Immigration increases onsite NCR workforce to 80%

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday announced that it increased its onsite workforce to 80% in all of its offices in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente made the announcement after the government’s decision to downgrade NCR and other provinces back under Alert Level 2 from February 1 to 15.

Morente said fully-vaccinated clients are no longer required to secure slots via the bureau’s online appointment system before they could transact business with the agency, adding that they must present their vaccination cards upon entering BI offices.

“Aliens, including the fully-vaccinated, who intend to file their annual report at the BI main office in Intramuros, Manila are still required to apply slots in the online appointment system,” he said in a statement.

“The online appointment requirement also applies to all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated individuals, who have businesses to transact at the BI main building,” he added.

Morente said BI offices in the NCR will continue to operate from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. under Alert Level 2.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has also placed other areas under Alert Level 2 including Batanes, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Biliran, Southern Leyte, and Basilan.

Under Alert Level 2 — the second lowest in the new alert level system — certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults (and minors, even if unvaccinated), and 70% capacity outdoors.

Also under Alert Level 2, the implementation of the " no vaccination, no ride" policy barring unvaccinated people in Metro Manila from boarding public transport will be suspended, the Department of Transportation earlier said.—LDF, GMA News