The Philippine Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the request of the Bureau of Immigration to create a new office to complement BI port operations.
DBM approved the creation of the Port Operations Division (POD), which previously operated as an ad-hoc unit at the BI Immigration Division. POD will be in charge of all immigration functions, including the supervision and manning of 420 immigration counters, at various international ports and sub-ports.
Also approved by DBM is the creation of additional plantilla for 887 immigration officers and immigration assistants on top of the existing 1,203 positions. The new positions will increase the immigration officer and immigration assistant workforce in the BI by 74%, and will require an estimated Personnel Services cost of P365 million annually to be charged against the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund under the 2017 General Appropriations Act.
The development comes amid news of immigration officers resigning or going on leave supposedly due to the non-payment of their overtime. The shortage in personnel has left long queues at airport immigration counters.
Early this year, DBM committed to assist BI after President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the proposed use of Express Lane Funds for salaries of BI job orders and confidential agents, as well as benefits of BI personnel. Acknowledging the important role of immigration officers in ensuring public security and safety, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno promised to extend DBM assistance to organize BI organizational units and personnel complement to address operational requirements.
The BI said it needed additional positions to man the ports and sub-ports nationwide, but due to fiscal constraints, only 1,000 new positions could be created in 2017. The need for more immigration officers for the POD will be determined after an assessment of the impact on BI operations of the 887 new positions. The DBM also created 49 new positions for BI’s Administrative and Financial Divisions in February.
With the newly formed POD and nearly 900 new positions, BI’s qualified job orders and contractual employees can now be absorbed, Diokno said, expressing hopes this would greatly improve efficiency at BI and its delivery of services to the public.
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