THE BUREAU of Immigration (BI) is working with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas to develop a streamlined government information system to combat cases of human trafficking and illegal recruitment.
In a statement on Wednesday, BI Commissioner Norman G. Tansingco said the simplified system would provide real-time data that would make the processes of both agencies more efficient.
“The signing of this memorandum of agreement reinforces our commitment to providing streamlined and efficient services to the public while safeguarding the rights and welfare of our fellow Filipinos,” he said during the signing ceremony on Wednesday held at the BI’s main office in Manila.
The immigration bureau said the system seeks to monitor and act on irregular migration incidents in the Philippines while generating accurate data on migration.
Last month, the country’s council against human trafficking said it would enhance its cooperation with partner government agencies to apprehend more human traffickers.
The inter-agency body is composed of the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Commission on Filipino Overseas.
In the first two months of the year, 57 departures from the country’s international airports were tagged as possible cases of human trafficking, based on data from the BI.
“By integrating our systems and sharing real-time data, we can effectively respond to the challenges posed by migration,” Mr. Tansingco said. — John Victor D. Ordoñez