THE Bureau of Immigration has denied entry to more than 2,500 foreigners from January to October this year.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said 2,778 foreigners were not allowed to enter the country after they presented improper documents, majority of them at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals.
Tansingco said 696 were Chinese, 414 were Vietnamese, 214 were Indonesians, 204 were Americans, and 138 were Indians, among others.
Last year, Tansingco said the BI blocked the entry of 2,768 foreigners due to improper documents.
He said the BI is strictly monitoring the arrival of foreigners due to the expected increase in arrivals after travel restrictions were eased due to lower cases of COVID-19 infections.
Meanwhile, BI agents posted at the NAIA Terminal 3 intercepted a departing Filipino passenger for Malta who presented a fake certificate last November 11.
Tansingco said the passenger was initially referred for secondary inspection for not possessing an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) despite acknowledging her intention to work in Malta.
The OEC is a document mandated by the Philippine government for overseas Filipino workers as it ensures their proper documentation and protection while working abroad.
Upon secondary inspection, BI agents learned the passenger was traveling to Malta to work as a caregiver and was in possession of a Commission on Filipinos Overseas-Guidance and Counselling Program allegedly provided by her Maltese employer.
The CFO-GCP is a required pre-departure seminar conducted for first-time Filipino migrants who are Filipino spouses, fiancé(e)s, and other partners of foreign nationals who plan to migrate overseas.
