THE Bureau of Immigration-Davao Region (BI-Davao) has announced that they have strengthened their immigration protection and border enforcement section to keep the surrounding community safe from potential threats due to increased traffic at Davao International Airport (DIA).
Queenie Joy Jang, deputy head for operations at the Bureau of Immigration, said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas, on Tuesday morning, August 27, 2024, at the NCCC Victoria, that they have observed a 344 percent increase in international passenger traffic at DIA since 2022. The number of arriving and departing passengers at DIA has risen to 99,504 in 2024, compared to 22,406 in 2022.
Additionally, this year their office has encountered approximately 74 individuals prohibited from entering the country, of whom two are on the Interpol list.
“Excluded nationals in 2024 is at 74 individuals, two of which are Interpol Hit, and deferred departures is at 445 individuals, eight of which are Iacat [Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking] turnovers as possible victims of trafficking in persons,” she said.
Jang noted that they successfully intercepted a Chinese national, who is currently the subject of an ongoing Senate investigation related to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogo). She added that other interceptions of foreign nationals have been due to overstaying or inclusion on the Bureau's derogatory list.
She mentioned that their personnel have participated in seminars on fraud, imposter detection, and document examination training. They are also coordinating with various partner consulates, law enforcement agencies, and government bodies on issues concerning the Bureau of Immigration's area of responsibility.
The office also revealed that by October 2024, additional international flights will be available at DIA. Jang said that Cebu Pacific Air will offer flights to and from Hong Kong and Thailand, and that Scoot Airlines, Xiamen Air, and Qatar Airways will provide routes from Singapore and Qatar. RGP