The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has deployed 25 newly hired immigration officers in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to beef up the number of personnel conducting immigration formalities for thousands of international travelers who enter and leave the country daily.
Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. disclosed those assigned to the NAIA comprised the second batch of immigration officers who were hired and deployed in the premier port this year.
He said the BI earlier had deployed in the premier port 24 immigration officers belonging to the first batch of BI employees who were hired this year.
David added the bureau will field in NAIA next month an additional 32 new immigration officers who are now being trained at the BI academy at Clark Field, Pampanga.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) authorized the BI to employ 100 new immigration officers.
David sought the hiring of additional employees, citing the lack of immigration officers at the airports that result in long passenger queues in immigration arrival and departure counters.
These queues have long been the object of complaints from the traveling public and the BI blamed the problem on manpower lack.
Lawyer Ma. Antonette Mangrobang, BI spokesman, said the BI needs to hire more immigration officers to adequately address the increasing volume of international travelers arriving and departing at  NAIA.
Mangrobang explained  the BI has not been able to hire enough employees due to budgetary constraints.
“We will continue to ask the DBM to for authority to hire not only additional immigration officers but also intelligence personnel who will help guard our ports and thwart the entry of illegal aliens,” said Mangrobang who is also BI acting intelligence chief.
She added BI is continuing to accept applications for the post of immigration officer and that interested applicants may refer to www.immigration.gov.ph for more details.