BI issues guidelines to stop 'escort racket' at airports

ok to para sa OFW at sa mga gusto lumabas ng bansa as tourist..

pero sympre lage naman me paraan ang mga kuratongs na yan e...

pero sana kahit papaano mabawasan...

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BI issues guidelines to stop 'escort racket' at airports

By Margaux Ortiz
Inquirer
Last updated 10:27pm (Mla time) 10/25/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has eased the
formalities and rules for departing Filipino travelers to stop the
escort racket at the airports and deter corruption among the bureau's
personnel.

BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan issued on Thursday a memorandum
order indicating the simplified rules and guidelines airport
immigration officers should observe in processing Filipino passengers
about to leave the country.

Libanan said the new rules would direct all immigration officers on
duty at the airport's departure counters to allow the departure of any
passenger upon mere presentation of "a valid passport, a valid visa
where required, and a return ticket when necessary."

The BI chief informed the immigration officers that they should no
longer require the departing passenger to submit other documents such
as "show money" or proof of financial capacity.

The memorandum, however, stressed that in accordance with existing
laws, government officials and employees would still be required to
present their travel authority while unaccompanied minors must submit
the proper clearance from the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD).

"Restrictions and requirements presently imposed on departing
Filipinos tend to infringe on the passengers' constitutional right to
travel and cause discrimination by reason of their station in life,
gender, religion, age," Libanan said.

He, likewise, mentioned the need to remove such restrictions "in order
to avoid, if not eliminate, unwarranted bureaucratic red tape" that
gave the opportunity for corrupt individuals to engage in unscrupulous
activities.

"The creation of the new policy was prompted by allegations that some
immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)
are extorting money from departing overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) so
they would not be offloaded from their flights supposedly due to
incomplete travel documents," Libanan said.

He, however, said that departing OFWs must still present their
employment permits from the Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration (POEA) as required by the Migrant Workers Act.