BI asking P4.24-b budget for 2024 to level up services, gear at NAIA

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is seeking a P4.24-billion budget to upgrade and modernize equipment, and to buy additional electronic gates to be installed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said he is hopeful for the approval of their proposed l2024 budget.

During a public hearing of the Committee on Finance headed by Senator Juan Edgardo Angara which discussed the proposed 2024 National Expenditure Program of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its attached agencies last October 9, it was reported that the BI requested a P4.24-billion budget mainly to procure necessary technological upgrades for the agency.

DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that the amount is part of the P34.487 billion budget request by the department. He emphasized that this amounts to only 0.60% of the total national budget.

Despite the “relatively small amount,” Tansingco said they are confident that they can deliver commitments, particularly in technological upgrades for the bureau.

Part of the budget, Tansingco said, would be used to procure additional electronic gates for both their arrival and departure operations of the NAIA.

“The medium-term target is to replace 50 percent of our manual counters to electronic gates,” he said.

Currently, only 21 e-gates are distributed in major international airports.

Tansingco sees the need to expand this to further increase the efficiency of their services and lessen decongestion at the international airports across the country.