The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has welcomed the call of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for the lawmakers to pass the Immigration Modernization Act replacing the country’s 82-year-old Immigration Law.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco thanked the President for prioritizing the proposed legislative measure.
In his second State of the Nation address delivered on Monday, Mr. Marcos reiterated the need to pass new laws to boost nation-building.
He appealed to Congress to support the urgency of passing several legislations including the excise tax on single use plastics, military and uniformed personnel’s pension, amendment of the anti-agricultural smuggling act, new government procurement law, Tatak Pinoy Law, and ease of paying taxes.
Among those mentioned by President Marcos was the Philippine Immigration Act.
The proposed law, which aims to modernize and enhance the capabilities of the BI, cleared the House of Representatives last May 29, in time for the President’s State of the Nation Address.
The new law, which has been tagged as a priority bill, is expected to improve travel experience and at the same time tighten border security.
“The passage of the new law is another step forward towards the President’s vision of Bagong Pilipinas,” Tansingco earlier said.
The proposed modernization measures will authorize the BI to utilize its income to acquire advanced tools and technologies. This will enable the BI to operate more efficiently and effectively in fulfilling its vital role in national security. By enhancing its infrastructure and embracing state-of-the-art systems, the Bureau will be more capable of detecting and thwarting illicit activities, such as human trafficking, illegal cross-border operations, and other threats related to the borders.
“The new law could not have come at a better time. This milestone legislation reflects the commitment of the Marcos administration to fortify our national security and combat illegal activities,” he added.
The said law is now set to undergo review by the Senate. When passed, the new law will replace the 82-year-old Philippine immigration act of the BI.