The Department of Justice (DOJ) has decided to pause the new rules for Filipino travelers leaving the country.
This decision came after the Senate passed two resolutions asking the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) to suspend and review the guidelines.
The Senate President, Juan Miguel Zubiri, was even authorized to file for a temporary restraining order at the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the rules.
Some senators were worried that the stricter guidelines would limit the right of Filipino citizens to travel without significantly impacting human trafficking.
Zubiri even compared the new rules to North Korea’s regulations, which prevent its citizens from traveling abroad.
In a speech, Zubiri mentioned that the Bureau of Immigration (BI) had prevented over 32,000 passengers from leaving the country in recent years. However, only 2 percent of them were actually at risk of human trafficking.
The stricter guidelines require all Filipino passengers traveling internationally to go through immigration inspection for assessment, clearance, and documentation.
The DOJ defended the revised guidelines, stating that they were designed to streamline departure procedures and not restrict the right to travel.
The agency also acknowledged the concerns of the senators and stated that they must address these concerns and provide necessary information and clarifications.
It is important to note that the temporary suspension of the new guidelines for departure formalities does not affect existing laws and regulations governing travel and immigration procedures.
Source: PhilNews24 | August 31, 2023
