Bill seeks ₧1.2-B Immigration Trust Fund to modernize BI

THe consolidated bill just recently approved by the house committee on Justice on the makeover of the bureau of immigration( bi) aims to put up a P1.2-billion Immigration Trust Fund (ITF) to modernize the BI, touch up its pay scales and further professionalize its officers plus rank and file, a senior lawmaker said on Sunday.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund “Lray” F. Villafuerte Jr. said the consolidated bill on the proposed “Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act” aims to modernize the BI by expanding its organizational structure, sharpening the competencies of its personnel through career advancement programs, cutting red tape by improving data gathering and analysis and boosting employee morale through a better, more competitive salary structure.”

This consolidated bill seeks to empower the bureau to collect immigration fees, fines and penalties and to retain a third of all such collections— but not to exceed P1.2 billion—for an ITF to be administered by the proposed three-member Board of Commissioners for the modernization of the agency’s facilities and equipment, payment of employee benefits and further professionalization of its officers and employees, said Villafuerte, who is president of the National Unity Party (NUP).

The proposed Board shall be comprised of a Commissioner with the rank of Undersecretary and two deputy commissioners each with the rank of Assistant Secretary—all three of them to be appointed by the President.

Changing demands

THE House justice panel chaired by Negros Occidental Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer managed to expedite the committee approval of the consolidated bill on the strength of the chamber’s House Rule 10 Section 48, which allows the swift passage of measures that were already approved on third and final reading by the chamber in the immediately preceding Congress.

Villafuerte authored with three other Camsur solons House Bill (HB) 274, one of six bills that the house committeeon justice had consolidated into one measure for this panel’s approval.

Villafuerte’s HB 274 co-authors are Reps. Miguel Luis R. Villafuerte and Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata and Bicol Saro Rep. Nicolas Enciso VIII.