BI revenue eyed as source for ayuda

A former lawmaker of Eastern Samar who was elected party-list congressman has offered the government another way to source funds needed for financial assistance or ayuda for the poorest of the poor.

Rep. Marcelino Libanan, of 4Ps party-list, said the Bureau of Immigration (BI) could help generate new government earnings to bankroll additional cash aid for poor households.

“There’s no question that the BI can easily raise between P10 billion to P12 billion in annual revenues, possibly even more,” Libanan, who served as immigration commissioner during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said.

“Before the pandemic, the BI managed to produce P9.3 billion in revenues in 2019, up 32 percent from the P7.03 billion it collected in 2018,” he added.

Libanan revived the proposed Bureau of Immigration Modernization Act that the House approved on third and final reading in the previous Congress, but which the Senate failed to pass.

As reintroduced by Libanan in the current 19th Congress, House Bill 1069 seeks to reorganize and further professionalize the BI, upgrade its systems and boost staff pay.

The bill also allows the BI to retain “no more than P1.2 billion” of its annual income so it can invest in new information technology and revenueenhancing automation projects like a fully online application and payment system that will eliminate corruption.

The BI has a budget of only P1.59 billion under the General Appropriations Act for 2022.

The bureau generates income from visa processing and extension fees, fines and penalties, clearance and certification taxes as well as immigration tax. The agency’s revenues go directly to the national treasury.

“We will transform the BI into an investor and tourist-friendly office. Hopefully, with a reinvigorated economy, fewer Filipinos will leave the country as overseas workers,” Libanan said in filing House Bill 1069.