The Bureau of Immigration has apologized on Thursday to a Filipino traveler who shared in a viral Tiktok post that she missed her flight after she was asked a number of irrelevant questions from an immigration officer.
“A social media post recently made rounds on TikTok wherein a Filipina passenger recounted her unpleasant experience with immigration personnel in December 2022. She shared how she was asked numerous questions which she deemed irrelevant,” the BI said in a statement.
The BI added that a probe is now underway and they are now waiting for the full explanation. of the immigration officer involved.
“We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused the Filipino passenger and other Filipino passengers,” the bureau said.
The BI on the other hand issued a warning against victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment.
In a TikTok video titled “Immigration Rant,” Cham Tanteras shared how she missed her flight to Israel in December.
Tanteras said that she arrived at the airport at 3AM for her 11AM flight. She was later on brought to the immigration office at the NAIA terminal 1 where an officer asked her irrelevant questions.
“Number one, if my parents were separated or together. Number two, if I have my yearbook with me. I told the officer, ‘Hey, I graduated college ten years ago, why would I even bring a yearbook in my travel?'” she said.
Tanteras added that the immigration officer also wanted her to write an essay about her freelancing job.
After she was able to finish the immigration officer’s demand, she realized that she missed her flight and the gate was closed.
Tanteras had no option but to book another flight which eventually cost her more.
