BI reshuffles nearly 100 intelligence operatives at NAIA

June 23, 2019

Nearly 100 intelligence operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) have been reshuffled as part of measures to improve services and prevent corruption at the country’s premiere port.

BI Port Operations Division (POD) chief Grifton Medina said a total of 96 immigration intelligence officers, agents and job order employees assigned to the bureau’s border control and intelligence unit ( BCIU) at the NAIA were affected by the revamp that was implemented two weeks ago.

Medina said BI Commissioner Jaime Morente issued the directive “rotating” the terminal assignments of BCIU personnel whose primary tasks are to monitor and profile alien passengers and assist immigration officers in detecting suspected human trafficking victims.

“We are continuously reshuffling and rotating the assignments of our airport personnel to re-energize our workforce, eliminate boredom, and enable our employees to take on new tasks and responsibilities that will enable them to gain added experience and skills,” Medina said.

He said BCIU personnel at the NAIA have not been reshuffled for nearly three years during which time each one reported to only one of the three NAIA terminals.

Medina said the BI will rotate the terminal assignments of its BCIU personnel quarterly, similar to the rotation scheme being implemented for BI officers manning immigration booths at the NAIA.

It was learned that nearly three weeks ago the BI-POD rotated the terminal assignments of 513 immigration officers assigned to the immigration counters of the NAIA.

Medina said the rotation of the BI officers was overdue as they had to wait for the lifting of the ban on transfer of government employees during the recent election period.

“We're planning to synchronize the movement of our BI officers and BCIU personnel the next time we implement our job rotation,” he added.  DMS