The Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) inspectors deployed in international airports have been directed to strictly screen Filipinos departing for Japan to curb human trafficking and illegal recruitment.
In a memorandum issued on Thursday, Commissioner Jaime Morente instructed immigration inspectors in the ports of exit to “observe due attentiveness” towards Filipino passengers bound for the said country, and ordered all personnel in international airports to tighten the screening of Filipinos.
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Tighter screening has been ordered, particularly against those with visas for short-term visitors, intra-company transferees, students, and engineer specialists in humanities and international services with the BI personnel asked to exercise extra caution in clearing the departure of Filipinos.
Morente said he released the order after receiving reports that the said visas were being used by illegal recruiters while on the other hand there have been reports that visas were being used by unscrupulous recruiters to circumvent government rules on the documentation and deployment of Filipino workers to Japan.
“This emerging trend exposes these travelers to the dangers of trafficking in persons and illegal recruitment which the BI is mandated to prevent,” Morente said.
