CEBU, Philippines - The hi-tech Visa Issuance Made Simple or VIMS, a program that made visa processing faster, easier and less expensive, revved up the Bureau of Immigration revenues to an unprecedented 36 percent in just one month.
BI regional director Romeo “Butch” Junia said they have already collected P29.03-million revenue since January this year.
The amount is 36.1 percent higher compared to the P21.3 million collected in the same period last year.
The sharpest rise was noted in the collection of Express Lane Fees, which Junia said, doubled from P3.6 million to P7.7 million.
Cebu was made a pilot area in the implementation of the program, which was aimed to transform the agency’s image from being one of the problematic into a more effective government agency.
Junia said the program served its purpose after the visa processing time in the region has gone down by an average of 82 percent.
According to him, they have cut documentary requirements by 31 percent for visa extensions, and by as much as 43 percent for special study and work permits.
The VIMS, which provides a much faster and more efficient system, also helped the BI improve its public standing. – Fred P. Languido/LPM (THE FREEMAN)