BI modernizes to combat trafficking

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is implementing advanced screening technologies, streamlined procedures, and stronger legal safeguards to curb trafficking at official exit points and remote backdoor routes amid an expected summer travel surge.

“We will focus on modernization through advancements in technology and legal reforms to simplify immigration processes and improve overall efficiency,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a statement on Friday.

The BI said the modernization efforts aim to combat trafficking attempts at both official exit points and remote backdoor routes, while also addressing growing incidents involving deceptive schemes such as the “bitbit” or tag-along tactic. In such schemes, experienced travelers smuggle others out of the country under pretenses.

One recent case involved three women who posed as church missionaries and were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last April while trying to fly to Thailand via Singapore. Aged 23, 25, and 50, the group raised suspicion due to inconsistencies in their story.

Under questioning, the youngest admitted they were not missionaries but licensed teachers recruited for illegal work in Thailand, exposing a trafficking ploy that hides behind religious cover.

The BI warned that the growing influx also poses national security risks. Some foreign nationals are reportedly misusing tourist visas to engage in illegal activities.

In February alone, the BI deported 57 foreigners, many linked to unauthorized Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator operations. Another 450 were arrested in January.

To recall, the Department of Tourism projects heavier passenger traffic this April and May, following nearly 1.2 million foreign tourist arrivals in the first two months of the year — a slight increase from the previous year.

In 2024, international arrivals reached over 14.5 million, including 6.6 million foreigners, generating P760 billion in tourism revenues.