Immigration opens 2 satellite offices in Metro

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration opened yesterday two more satellite offices in Metro Manila as part of the agency’s decentralization and regionalization programs.

Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim led the inauguration of the new BI offices at Sta. Cruz and Binondo.

The Sta. Cruz office, located at One Masangkay Place building, will be headed by Director Jerome Gabionza. It covers the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela.

On the other hand, the BI-Binondo satellite office, headed by Jose Carlitos Licas, covers Binondo, Sta. Cruz and Quiapo areas. Libanan said the new offices would serve mostly the Filipino-Chinese community, noting that Chinese nationals account for majority of foreigners who use the BI’s services, followed by Indians and Americans.

Patch Arbas, overall NCR immigration area director, said the bureau will establish two more new immigration offices in Quezon City and Pasig City.

Aside from establishing immigration area offices in all 13 regions, the BI operates satellite offices in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Dasmariñas, Cavite; Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Taytay, Rizal; Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela (Camanava) in Metro Manila; and the SM Mall of Asia. – Helen Flores