Immigration names regional officials

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) moved another step in its drive to decentralize its operations with the designation of several officials who will oversee the agency’s service delivery in Metro Manila, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

BI Commissioner Marcelino Libanan signed a personnel order designating the BI’s chiefs of the immigration regulation division (IRD), alien registration division (ARD) and intelligence division as overall immigration area directors for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, respectively.

IRD chief Edgardo Mendoza will thus serve as concurrent immigration director for Luzon; ARD chief Danilo Almeda for the Visayas; and intelligence chief Faizal Hussin for Mindanao.

BI technical staff chief Patch Arbas was named overall director for Metro Manila while BI executive director Franklin Littaua was designated chair of the bureau’s decentralization and regionalization program.

Litttaua, meanwhile, announced the appointment of Ramoncito Tolentino as immigration area director for National Capital Region (NCR) -West, which covers the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Valenzuela, and Navotas.

Henry Tubban Jr. was named director for NCR-East, which covers the cities of Taguig, Mandaluyong, Makati and San Juan, while Epifanio Lambino Jr. was appointed as NCR-South director to oversee immigration services in the cities of Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and the town of Pateros.

Cris Villalobos was named head of NCR-North, covering the cities of Quezon, Marikina and Pasig, while Jerome Gabionza heads the NCR-Central that will cater to foreigners living in Manila.    – Rudy Santos