The Bureau of Immigrations will be installing a pre-screening counter for oversees Filipino workers (OFW) in order to save them from joining long lines.
In a recommendation memorandum presented to the media on Wednesday afternoon, the BI said it will be creating the guidelines on pre-screening of passengers upon departure.
The move was made due to the reported significant increase in number of delayed passengers and a recent alarming incident regarding a certain immigration officer involved in allegedly unjust offloading of an OFW departing as tourist.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said that OFW counters will be designated before the Immigration Counters, wherein the processing and validation of pertinent documents will be screened by the immigration officers. They will be advised to proceed immediately once it is done.
Initial counters will be set up in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 starting next week, and will soon be accessible to different airport terminals.
Also stated, “an OFW with a valid visa and an existing work contract with his/her current employer who intends to go to other countries while on vacation is considered a tourist.”
In addition, OFWs need not to secure an Oversees Employment Certificate (OEC) in order to travel as long as it is in accordance with the guidelines for tourist passengers.
Former Special Assistant to the President and aspiring Senatorial candidate Christopher “Bong” Go, who first propsed it to BI, lauded the agency’s move, saying that both the OFW and tourist passengers will benefit from it.
“With this, longer lines will be reduced as transactions will continuously move,” Go said.
He hopes that this proposal will be fully approved.
