Bureau of Immigration (Philippines)

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Bureau of Immigration
Kawanihan ng Pandarayuhan
Bureau of Immigration PH 2022.png
Bureau of Immigration Building, Intramuros.JPG
Bureau of Immigration Building in Plaza de Mexico, Intramuros, Manila
Agency overview
FormedJanuary 22, 1940 (1940-01-22)
Jurisdiction Government of the Philippines
HeadquartersBureau of Immigration Head Office, Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila
MottoPatriotism, Integrity, Professionalism
Employees2,257 (2024) [1]
Annual budget₱1.61 billion (2023) [2]
Minister responsible
Agency executives
  • Joel Anthony Viado, Commissioner
  • Joel Alejandro Nacnac, Deputy Commissioner
  • Aldwin Alegre, Deputy Commissioner
  • Dana Krizia Sandoval, Spokesperson
Parent agency Department of Justice
Website immigration.gov.ph

The Bureau of Immigration (Filipino : Kawanihan ng Pandarayuhan), [3] also known between 1972 and 1987 as the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation, is the immigration regulatory and control body of the Philippines. It was established by the Philippine Immigration Act in 1940, although a predecessor agency had existed as part of the Bureau of Customs since 1899.

Contents

History

The Bureau of Immigration started as a division of the Bureau of Customs during the American regime in 1899. [4] It was appropriate because ship travel and ship cargo were interlinked and hence, the office was at the Bureau of Customs. It seems that the government then, gave more importance on the entry of goods than monitoring of foreign nationals coming into the country. The government was more interested in generating customs duties from these goods than in the control and regulation of the arrival and stay of foreigners. The functions of immigration remained under the said bureau until 1937 when it was transferred as a division of the Bureau of Labor.

The functions of Immigration were transferred in 1937 as a division under the Bureau of Labor. This was mainly to respond to the arrival of Chinese nationals who owned and operated trade houses stores and restaurants in the country.

On January 22, 1940, the Second National Assembly of the Philippine Commonwealth enacted the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 (Commonwealth Act No. 613). It was signed into law by the President of the United States on September 3, 1940, creating the Bureau of Immigration under the administrative supervision of the Office of the President.

A year or so later, it became an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Its administrative control was later returned to the Office of the President.

When the Pacific War broke out in December 1941, the Bureau, then under the Department of Justice, moved to the Bilibid Prison on Azcarraga Street (now Claro M. Recto Avenue).

Immediately after the war, the bureau was transferred near the Gate 1 of the South Harbor in Manila, then moved to Building No. 5 at the Customs Bureau at Gate 4. In 1945, in line with the reorganization plan of the government, the bureau was put under the supervision and control of the Department of Labor.

In 1948, the Bureau was reverted to the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice where it has remained up to the present time.

On September 21, 1972, then President Ferdinand E. Marcos proclaimed martial law, [5] ordered and decreed the adoption and implementation of the Integrated Reorganization Plan.

Hence, the Commission on Reorganization issued Letter of Implementation No. 20, dated December 31, 1972 which embodies the plan, including among other things, the change of name of the office from the Bureau of Immigration to Commission on Immigration and Deportation. This became a collegian body and performing both administrative and quasi-judicial functions. It is composed of the commissioner and his two associate commissioners. Letter of Implementation No. 20 also abolished the Deportation Board and transferred its functions to the Board of Commissioners who gave them power to undertake deportation cases.

The bureau was given the sole authority to enforce and administer immigration and foreign nationals registration laws including the admission, registration, exclusion and deportation and repatriation of foreign nationals. It also supervises the immigration from the Philippines of foreign nationals.

On July 25, 1987, President Corazon C. Aquino signed Executive order No. 292, also known as the Administrative Code of 1987. Said order renamed the office as the "Bureau of Immigration". However, it continues to perform all the powers and functions it had while still a commission, and its head of office still remains to be called "Commissioner" as provided under the DOJ.

Key officials

Functions

View of the Bureau of Immigration Building from Binondo across the Pasig River. 07751jfManila Pasig River Binondo Bridge Boats Streets Landmarksfvf 06.jpg
View of the Bureau of Immigration Building from Binondo across the Pasig River.

General functions

Specific functions

In the discharge of its broad functions, the Bureau through its Board of Commissioners, exercises administrative and quasi-judicial powers over the:

List of commissioners

#NameTenure startedTenure ended
1Engracio Fabre19451950
2Jose P. Bengzon
(1898–1990)
19501950
3Vicente Dela Cruz19511954
4Emilio Galang19541962
5Martiniano Vivo19621966
6Edmundo M. Reyes19671986
7Enrique M. Joaquin19861987
Ramon J. Liwag19871988
8 Miriam Defensor Santiago
(1945–2016)
January 4, 1988July 17, 1989
9Bienvenido P. AlanoJuly 4, 1989December 21, 1989
10Andrea O. DomingoDecember 22, 1989March 17, 1992
11Bayani M. SubidoMarch 18, 1992July 1992
12Zafiro L. ResficioJuly 3, 1992August 1994
Ramon J. LiwagAugust 1994March 1995
13Leandro I. Verceles Sr.
(1927–1996)
March 6, 1995July 12, 1996
Ramon J. LiwagJuly 13, 1996August 3, 1996
14Edgar I. MendozaAugust 4, 1996March 18, 1998
15Rufus B. RodriguezJuly 1, 1998January 20, 2001
16Andrea O. DomingoJanuary 23, 2001December 2003
17Alipio F. Fernandez Jr.
(1943–2018)
January 2004March 27, 2007
18Roy M. AlmoroMarch 28, 2007May 1, 2007
19Marcelino C. LibananMay 2007July 2010
Ronaldo P. LedesmaAugust 2010March 20, 2011
20Ricardo A. David Jr.March 18, 2011July 16, 2013
21Siegfried B. MisonJuly 17, 2013January 5, 2016
22Ronaldo A. GeronJanuary 6, 2016June 30, 2016
23Jaime H. MorenteJuly 1, 2016June 30, 2022
24Norman G. TansingcoSeptember 12, 2022September 9, 2024 [7]
25Joel Anthony M. ViadoSeptember 30, 2024 [8] [9] Incumbent

References

  1. Department of Budget and Management. "Staffing Summary Fiscal Year 2024" (PDF). Retrieved April 24, 2025.
  2. C. Bureau of Immigration
  3. Narvaez, Eilene Antoinette; Macaranas, Edgardo, eds. (2013). Mga Pangalan ng Tanggapan ng Pamahalaan sa Filipino (PDF) (in Filipino) (2013 ed.). Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. p. 6. ISBN   978-971-0197-22-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 29, 2017. Retrieved October 26, 2024.
  4. Act No. 702 (Philippine Constitution)
  5. General Order No. 1
  6. Ledesma, An Outline of the Philippine Immigration and Citizenship Laws, 2006 Rv., p.12
  7. "Immigration chief fired over Guo". BusinessWorld Online. September 9, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  8. Cabrera, Embey (October 3, 2024). "New BI Chief vows agency reforms". Bureau of Immigration Philippines. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  9. Laqui, Ian (October 3, 2024). "Joel Viado appointed as new Immigration commissioner". Philstar.com. Retrieved June 17, 2025.