DoJ chief bats for BI's border security modernization

Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Fredderick A. Vida called for an urgent overhaul of the country's border security infrastructure, describing modernization as an absolute necessity to counter increasingly sophisticated transnational criminal networks.

"Criminal networks do not respect territorial boundaries; our response therefore must equally be sophisticated, coordinated and forward-looking," Vida said during the Bureau of Immigration's (BI) 86th anniversary celebration.

"Modernization is no longer an option. It is an imperative," he added.

Vida highlighted complex security threats facing the nation's entry and exit points, including transnational organized crime, human trafficking, terrorism, illegal recruitment, document fraud, and identity theft.

As an agency under the DoJ, the BI is pursuing reforms aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s mandate to digitize government operations.

Justice officials cited that border control measures must adapt to emerging security risks while maintaining efficient processing for legitimate travelers.

Immigration commissioner Joel Anthony M. Viado praised the agency's achievements while stressing the necessity of continuous digital transformation, enhanced border intelligence, and streamlined procedures.

"Modernization is a legacy we can commit to an institution that has existed for 86 years," Viado said, urging personnel to build on past milestones to strengthen national security.

To support the overhaul, a P10.74-billion Public-Private Partnership project proposal is undergoing joint review by the Department of Finance, the Office of the Solicitor General, and the PPP Center.

The proposed Build-Train-Maintain-Transfer project would install an integrated border security platform across 11 airports and entry points to disrupt human trafficking, smuggling, money laundering, and tax evasion. The 20-year agreement includes system upgrades every four years at no cost to the government.