Immigration bureau reminds schools on special study permits for foreign students

The Bureau of Immigration on Monday reminded schools to make sure foreigners enrolling with them must have a special study permit (SSP) or visa.

BI Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. warned the schools of sanctions if they accept foreigners who do not have the SSP or student visa.

In a news release, David warned schools against accepting alien enrollees if they do not have accreditation from the BI to admit foreign students ().

David's reminder came as large numbers of applicants for student visas went to the BI in Intramuros.

BI student desk head Atty. Cris Villalobos said more than 1,300 schools are authorized to accept foreign students.

Villalobos also said there are about 40,000 foreigners studying in the Philippines, two-thirds of whom are in elementary and high school.

Only schools accredited by the BI, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and Federation of Accrediting Agencies can accept foreign students.

An SSP is issued to a foreign student below 18 years old, who will study in the elementary, high school or college levels; or those taking up special courses lasting less than a year.

A student visa is issued to foreigners 18 and up,  who will take up a course higher than high school at a university, seminary or college.

Citing Executive Order 285, David said schools that are not accredited but still accept alien students may face a fine of P50,000 and lose authority to accept foreign students.

He added schools not accredited by the BI but still accept alien students may be prosecuted for coddling illegal aliens.

On the other hand, Villalobos said harboring or coddling an illegal alien may be penalized with a jail term of five to 10 years, and a fine of P5,000 to P10,000.

'Alarming increase' of undocumented foreigners

In a news release posted on the Official Gazette website, the said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. issued a memorandum ordering the BI to augment its personnel in Mindanao due to the “'alarming' increase in the number of undocumented foreigners in the region."

"Since their deployment, these border crossing officers have facilitated the repatriation and deportation of thousands of illegal border crossers and have also effected the exclusion of illegal entrants from Malaysia and Indonesia," the BI said.

It added the border crossing officers also prevented the departure of thousands of undocumented overseas workers, suspected human trafficking, and illegal recruitment victims.

For his part, David said the main task of the newly assigned border intelligence agents is to "detect and report violations of immigration and alien registration laws."

He added the agents will also coordinate with other law enforcers in apprehending human smugglers and human traffickers.

Intel operatives sent to Mindanao, Palawan

Meanwhile, the BI deployed at least 13 agents to border outposts in Palawan and Mindanao - including some areas recently tagged as danger zones by three foreign governments - to prevent illegal aliens from sneaking into the Philippines through the southern backdoor.

David said the 13 agents will beef up the 25 border crossing officers who had been assigned there since last year.

Among the stations the 13 personnel will be reassigned to are:

- Taganak and Balabac, Palawan
- Bongao and Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi
- Batuganding and Tibanban, Davao del Sur
- Glan, Saranggani
- Jolo, Sulu
- Zamboanga, Cotabato, and General Santos Cities.

Warnings

Last week, Australia canceled travel by its embassy staff to Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga Cities "until further notice," for security reasons.

On July 5, the US State Department warned US citizens against risks of travel to the Sulu archipelago and parts of Mindanao.

Canada advised against all travel to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula, Zamboanga del Sur, Sarangani, Lanao del Norte, Davao, North and South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, "due to the serious threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping." - VVP, GMA News