Three lawmakers push enactment of proposed Immigration Act

MANILA, Philippines - Three congressmen pushed yesterday for the enactment of the proposed Immigration Act of 2009, which seeks to replace the Bureau of Immigration (BI) with the Commission on Immigration and Naturalization.

The proposed law would also extend the term of office of former congressman and incumbent Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan by up to three years.

Reps. Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin, Jesus Crispin Remulla of Cavite and Junie Cua of Quirino called on Congress to approve the draft of the new immigration law when it resumes session on May 31, three weeks after the elections.

Before lawmakers adjourned for the election campaign on Feb. 5, the House of Representatives passed the proposed new immigration law on third and final reading, while the Senate was about to consider it in plenary session.

The House is proposing an automatic three-year extension for Libanan and other BI commissioners. The Senate, on the other hand, wants a one-year extension.

Libanan was an Eastern Samar congressman for nearly nine years before President Arroyo appointed him immigration commissioner. He has opted to stay in his job instead of running again for congressman.

BI employees have claimed that while the proposed law would extend the tenure of their bosses, they would be considered on floating status and would be laid off if their superiors think they cannot be accommodated in the planned immigration commission.

Luckily for these employees, it is doubtful if the Senate and the House could approve the draft immigration law since they would be in session only for one week principally to canvass the votes for president and vice president and proclaim the winners.

There are suggestions that during the weeklong session, senators should elect a new Senate president who could act as the country’s temporary leader if there are evident signs of a failure of elections.

It is not clear why congressmen want to rush the 14th Congress into enacting a new immigration law during its last days of existence.

There are at least two other term extension proposals in the House, one for the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp. and the other for the National Telecommunications Commission.

Romualdo said the Immigration Act of 2009 would bring about a more responsive immigration policy capable of meeting the demands of the present time.

He said the present immigration law, the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940, is too old and needs to be updated.

Remulla said the draft law would “promote the country’s domestic and international interests.”

“It provides more visa categories and privileges to foreign investors in order to attract more investments to hasten our growth,” he said.

It would also streamline immigration and naturalization procedures to keep them abreast with modern trends, he said.

Cua, who is appropriations committee chairman, said they even authorized the planned new immigration commission to spend 30 percent of its income for maintenance and operating expenses and equipment purchase to help it accomplish its expanded mission.