The Bureau of Immigration has collaborated with the Australian government to improve cooperation and exchange of knowledge regarding crucial aspects of border control between authorities in Australia and the Philippines.

According to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, from 5 to 8 February, senior BI officers participated in a study trip program in Canberra and Melbourne that was organized by the Australian Embassy in the Philippines and supported by the Australian Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force.

Commissioner Tansingco led the BI delegation in a range of exercises meant to offer insightful information about different aspects of border control.

This program included roundtable discussions on advanced passenger information, immigration priorities, human trafficking, cyber risks, and counterterrorism operations, as well as tours to important locations and meetings with top officers from Australian agencies.

“We participated in the program to understand Australia's approaches and strategies in these areas, with a view to adapting and implementing best practices in the context of Philippine immigration,” said Tansingco. “The program also offered opportunities for the BI delegation to explore innovative technologies and operational methodologies utilized by Australian authorities,” he added.

The BI Chief shared that the talks regarding Australia's security and anti-human trafficking policies, their use of electronic gates, and the advanced passenger information and passenger name record, which are sophisticated data used for pre-vetting arriving foreign nationals, piqued their interest. Techniques for fending off cyberattacks and terrorism were also discussed during the study visit.

“There were a lot of eye-opening learnings that we were able to note during the study tour that we will be adopting in Philippine immigration,” said Tansingco. “Activities like this help us gain more perspective about international trends that we can implement in the country,” he added.