THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) have linked up their database systems to provide efficient and faster service to departing and arriving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) while making it difficult for illegal and undocumented workers or those who have fallen victim to human trafficking.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said on Tuesday that the integration of the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) system into its system had resulted in ease of processing departure clearances for OFWs.
The move, Tansingco said, gave birth to the concept of green lane for OFWs.
Commissioner Norman Tansingco. Photo from Bureau of Immigration
“The integration of the OEC into our system represents a significant improvement in BI’s modernization efforts. This update will facilitate shorter processing time for OFWs, ensuring they receive their immigration clearances promptly and efficiently.
By enabling real-time data sharing with the DMW, we also aim to ensure a more streamlined process,” he said.
“Apart from faster processing, the system also allowed BI officers to immediately verify and intercept fake OECs upon presentation by illegal recruitment and human trafficking victims,” Tansingco said.
He also cited the case of a female passenger intercepted last July 18 after presenting a fake OEC.
The female passenger, 50 years old, was recruited to work as a household service worker in Hong Kong. She attempted to depart via a Cebu Pacific Air flight at the Clark International Airport before being intercepted by immigration personnel.
Further verification with DMW officers at the airport confirmed that the document was indeed counterfeit.
“Our system is integrated with the DMW, making it easier for us to detect fake certificates,” said Tansingco.
The female victim claimed that her fake OEC was processed through a friend, and she was made to believe that it was legitimately processed through the DMW.
Tansingco warned illegal recruiters to stop the practice of enticing their victims to present tourist visas when their real purpose is employment.
He emphasized that the method of faking OEC and other documents required from departing OFWs won’t work anymore because the BI is capable of detecting “concealed” visas.
“Our officers were able to access a system that allows us to verify certain concealed visas,” said Tansingco.
“In this modern day and age, the old modus of hiding sheets of folded visas can now be detected. Our kababayans are warned not to agree to this illegal practice, which only puts them at risk of exploitation,” he added.
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