Close to 500 NAIA immigration officers reshuffled

Mariñas, who is also head of the BI Port Operations Division, added that the rotation was implemented to “prevent fraternization among employees,” which is seen as a possible source of corruption in government. (Photo: Bureau of Immigration, Republic of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA — Almost 500 immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) were rotated anew in a bid to prevent corruption and improve its service to the traveling public, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reported on Thursday.

According to BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval, the movement or terminal rotation involved personnel which were given new assignments in all NAIA terminals.

“Terminal rotation (involving NAIA personnel in the three terminals),” Sandoval said in a text message.

BI OIC Deputy Commissioner Marc Red Mariñas, meanwhile, noted that a total of 481 employees were reshuffled, adding that shifting set ups were also rotated.

“There were no exemptions from the personnel movement, and we rotated not just terminals, but also shift schedules,” he said.

Mariñas, who is also head of the BI Port Operations Division, added that the rotation was implemented to “prevent fraternization among employees,” which is seen as a possible source of corruption in government.

He noted that a similar rotation of airport personnel was implemented in November last year.

“After five or six months we will again rotate their terminal assignments at the airport. This is a continuing activity that we do not intend to stop or scrap,” he added.

On the other hand, Commissioner Jaime Morente disclosed that they will be hiring more immigration personnel in the next few weeks in addition to the 100 newly hired personnel at the NAIA.

He added that the hiring of more Immigration Officers is to augment its manpower at the airports in order to address the perennial problem of long passenger queues.

This month, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra issued a department order directing 44 immigration officers previously assigned at the BI Main Office and other field offices to report to the NAIA. (PR)