The Bureau of Immigration augments its personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport following the resignation of its employees due to unpaid overtime. (INQUIRER)
THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) will augment its personnel at international ports following the exodus of its employees due to unpaid overtime.
Ma. Antonette B. Mangrobang, immigration spokesperson, said yesterday that 171 of the bureau’s personnel stationed in various ports would be deployed at international ports.
Of the 171 personnel, 150 will be deployed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia).
The BI had already augmented its personnel at international ports in preparation for the Holy Week.
The BI is suffering from shortage of personnel because 32 of its officials had already resigned and 50 others had already given a notice that they would take a six-month leave to look for a new job.
According to BI records, more than 3,000 of its personnel have been on leave since Feb. 17.
The exodus of immigration employees started following President Rodrigo Duterte’s veto of BI’s use of express lane fees to pay for the overtime hours of immigration officers and contractual employees.
In January, Duterte vetoed the use of express lane fees to pay for the overtime hours rendered by immigration officers and the salary of contractual employees. He directed BI to remit the fees instead to the national treasury as part of its income.