On Monday, November 5, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has announced its plan to open pre-screening desks in all international airports across the country to lessen cases of offloading of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). However, the Immigration’s plan garnered jeers and disdain from Filipinos in the Middle East.
According to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, some of the offloaded OFWs are traveling as tourists for the first time but could not explain the purpose of their travel. Meanwhile, others are offloaded for submitting incomplete documentary requirements.
On the Facebook page of The Filipino Times, OFWs expressed their disappointments and uncertainties toward the proposed scheme.
One woman said that the said pre-screening plan will only add stress to all airport passengers. “For what will they conduct pre-screening? Ano yan, application para maging artista? They [BI] are just adding stress to the passengers. They should think of something else to improve the system in airports and not focus on offloading issues.”
Another user echoed the sentiment, calling the new scheme as useless. “Useless yan. Dagdag lang yan sa pipilahan. Ang ending nyan, BI Officer pa rin mag-dedecide,” he said.
Meanwhile, many OFWs stated that cases of offloading among international-bound passengers happen “Only In The Philippines.”
“Only in the Philippines lang ang sobrang higpit ng BI mga walang consideration sa hirap ng taong ibinuhos lahat ng makakaya para lang maka alis at matupad ang pinapangarap para sa pamilya,” said one user. “Yung ibang bansa sa Asya, napakadali para sa kanilang makalabas sa bansa nila, kahit paulit-ulit pa. Pero ang Pinas diyos ko, sobrang higpit.”
Another OFW seconded this opinion, saying that the immigration officers in the Philippines are too strict compared to other countries. “Ang hindi dyan maintindihan, bakit sobrang higpit ng BI pero ang immigration officers ng ibang bansa, as long as complete ang documents, nakakapasok ang Pinoy?”
“Sa Pinas lang uso yang offloading na yan. Kaya nga kumuha ng passport para makapag-travel eh,” expressed another user.
“Pinas lang yang ganyang system. Even if you have a valid passport and a valid visa at ticket, puro sila [immigration officers] ganyan sa offloading,” stated another OFW.
However, others speculated that the opening of pre-screening desks at the Bureau of Immigration might only lead to corruption among BI officials and officers.
“Baka maging cause ng corruption. Bakit kailangan i-offload ang passenger kung may passport at visa naman? Ano yung reason para i-offload nila yung passenger?,” asked one OFW. He cited other people’s experiences on being offloaded but managed to get through after bribing the immigration officers. “Kawawa naman yung iba kasi sayang yung chance nilang makapag-trabaho abroad.”
“No, another corruption will exist,” one said.
“Pera-pera ang lagay dyan, basta BI,” said another.
