IMMIGRATION Commissioner Jaime Morente yesterday said the agency is set to boost its monitoring offices in the southern part of the country, particularly the border crossing stations in the Sulu and Celebe Seas.
Morente said the Taganak border station near the Sulu Sea and the Bongao border station near the Celebes Sea will be the initial beneficiary of the IT systems upgrade and infrastructure improvements of the agency.
Though he did not say when the upgrade works would start, Morente said a team headed by BI Service Section chief Alnazib Decampong has already conducted on-site visits and studies and is ready with recommendations for the specific needs of the border crossing stations.
“It is necessary that we strengthen immigration monitoring in these border crossing stations. We see these areas as upcoming major trade and travel hubs in the next few decades,” Morente quoted Decampong as saying in his initial report to the BI main office.
Strengthening the stations will also improve the agency’s inspection measures and prevent the possible entry of illegal foreigners and terrorists through the southern backdoor.
Apart from IT and infrastructure improvements, Morente is also eyeing the deployment of additional personnel to those areas.
