House panel OKs report seeking to modernize Bureau of Immigration

The House committee on justice on Wednesday approved its report on several bills seeking to modernize the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

The panel report stressed the need to further professionalize the agency and upgrade the compensation and benefits of its officials and employees.

Committee chairperson and Negros Occidental Representative Juliet Marie De Leon Ferrer approved the report on House Bills 127, 194, 274, 1069, 2398, 30300, and 4047.

Ferrer said a substitute bill incorporating the comments and recommendations from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Foreign Affairs has been prepared.

Justice Undersecretary Jose Cadiz said the DOJ proposed to retain with the Justice Secretary the power to appoint and promote personnel as well as to retain the powers of Immigration commissioners.

Cadiz said the DOJ recommended to remove the posts of the BI internal affairs service, the Board Secretary, and the Immigration operations-Port Operations Division.

Ferrer said the report will be forwarded to the Committee on Appropriations for its comment.—LDF, GMA News