Lawmakers and immigration officials have renewed warnings that the Philippines' aging border security infrastructure leaves the country vulnerable to human trafficking and transnational crime, citing the recent illegal departure of Filipino workers and the arrest of 10 overstaying foreigners.

The warnings follow the mid-June repatriation of 11 Filipino workers from Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, who left the country through illegal "backdoor" routes.

According to the Bureau of Immigration (BI), six of the repatriates bypassed formal departure procedures to work in construction, mechanical, and maritime jobs, with most reporting they never received their salaries.

Immigration commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the case underscores the severe risks faced by Filipinos who circumvent legal channels, noting that unscrupulous recruiters continue to prey on victims by encouraging them to bypass border controls.

Days later, on 26 June, immigration agents arrested 10 foreign nationals in General Luna, Surigao del Norte.

The group, which included citizens from Israel, China, Lithuania, Australia, Morocco, and Nigeria, was detained for violating immigration laws, including overstaying and working without permits.

Lawmakers said these incidents highlight the urgent need to modernize the country’s border security, which remains governed by the 85-year-old Philippine Immigration Act of 1940.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, author of Senate Bill No. 1867 to modernize the BI, said a prewar framework is no longer sufficient to address contemporary national security challenges.

Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez also championed a modernization bill, stating it would simultaneously improve the travel experience and tighten national borders.

Meantime, Senator Raffy Tulfo raised concerns about data discrepancies and maritime vulnerabilities, warning that seaports are less regulated than airports. Tulfo previously cautioned that foreign nationals could be entering the country illegally via dredging vessels.

To address these vulnerabilities, the BI is reviewing the Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services project, a P10.74 billion public-private partnership proposal currently undergoing interagency review. The project would cover 11 international airports.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval described the proposal as an integrated, end-to-end security solution that would deploy biometrics, electronic gates, and real-time AI-driven data sorting to flag high-risk travelers. The system would include advanced passenger information, contactless facial recognition, and deception detection tools.

The proposal has already undergone a Swiss challenge with no competing offers submitted. It utilizes a user-pays financing model, where travelers would pay a $4 fee per entry or departure, funding the system without direct cost to the government. The agreement would also include a mandatory four-year technology update cycle.

The authority to regulate such user fees is established under the Public-Private Partnership Code of the Philippines, which subjects initial fees and subsequent adjustments to regulatory approval.

Viado reiterated that unauthorized entries and departures remain a critical national security concern, and that the bureau recognizes the immediate need to modernize infrastructure to combat evolving transnational threats.