SPEECH OF OIC COMMISSIONER SIEGFRED B. MISON 73rd Anniversary, Bureau of Immigration 07 September 2013 BI Main Office, Intramuros, Manila My daughter once asked me – Dad, what does the Bureau of Immigration really do? Instead of answering, I threw back the question at her, and she said “well, what I know is that your office stamps passports in the airport and I see a lot of foreigners in your office.” This is a simple view from a teenager but it captures the very essence of immigration enforcement – we in the bureau screen foreigners who come to our country and make the "bad guys”, the fugitives, the terrorists and the likes, are not allowed entry. Further, if any foreigner admitted to our country violates any of our laws, we apply existing processes to remove such bad guy from our country. In short and simple language, our mission is “BAD GUYS OUT, GOOD GUYS IN”. As we celebrate our 73rd Anniversary, allow me to share with you the 3 work principles which I think will help us accomplish our mission of preventing undesirable aliens from entering and staying in our country. The first work principle is “teamwork”. Each unit of the bureau, intelligence, airport operations, immigration regulation division, etc. are all interconnected. The success of each division is the success of the bureau, in the same way, the failure of a division is the failure of the bureau. To the public, we are not seen as separate division’s independent of each other but rather as one bureau. Thus, as AC Mangotara said during our ACO’s meeting yesterday, we should all be responsible in helping each other towards one direction leading to the ultimate goal of a better Philippines. What we do in the Bureau also affects the work of other government agencies like DFA, DOT, DOLE, POEA, NICA, PCG whose representatives are here with us today. The success of one government agency contributes to the success of the other government agencies as well. For instance, the 10 million tourist arrival target set by DOT by 2016 can be achieved through the collective efforts of all other agencies, our bureau particularly included. Imagine if any of our frontline officers disrespect a tourist, most likely such visitor will not return and will even tell his friends not to visit our country. The next work principle is “heart work”. Not “hard work” but heart work. “Heart” as in “Puso”. A few months ago we witnessed how the Smart Gilas team triumphed over much taller teams in the FIBA tournament on its way to win the silver medal. The Philippine won simply because they had a bigger heart than their rivals. Even in defeat in the championship game, the team displayed “team work” as they played for the pride of our country and countrymen. As public servants, it would be good for us to emulate the heart work shown by the Philippine team in the recently concluded FIBA championships Asia. As public servants, let us aim not only to satisfy but to even delight the people we swore to serve. Like a parent who serves a child, let us serve with passion. Let us serve and impress upon each person we serve a lasting and delightful impression. The last work principle I want to share is “I-work”. Apple has I-phone, I-pad but in this instance the “I” stands for integrity. Simply put, integrity means doing the right thing even if nobody is watching. Exactly 12 months ago, in this very place, no less than the President of the Philippines, berated our bureau because of the wrong doing of a few rotten eggs. Last July, in his state of the nation address, the president mentioned our bureau as one of the 3 agencies of the government known for corruption, again due to misconduct of a few rotten eggs in the bureau. I believe that except for this handful of scalawags, a majority of the public servants in the bureau are honest and good people. There is no better time than now to change the negative public perception of our bureau. Let us practice integrity in our work. Let us make sure that our co-workers practice integrity in their work. As we pledge every time we recite the panunumpa ng lingkod ng bayan: Hindi ako magiging bahagi at isisiwalat ko ang anumang katiwalian na makaaabot sa aking kaalaman. Perhaps in one of the state of the nation address in the next few years, an immigration officer will be extolled as a model public servant thereby erasing the negative image of our bureau. These three working principles I shall expect from my fellow public servants. In return, as my commitment as the temporary father of the bureau, I will do what I can to provide you with all the resources for you to have a positive mindset. I believe that if a person is happy with that he is doing, there is no room in his heart and mind to do wrong or evil. In closing, as I have said before, I will only be passing thru. I may not be here next week, next month, next year. But for most of you in the bureau, you have spent or will be spending a substantial portion of your career if not your entire public service in this bureau. This is your permanent home. I am sure no one likes to live in a dirty house tainted with controversies anomalies, and scandals. I challenge all of you to aspire for the day when a friend, your child, or your neighbor will ask you – “where do you work”, and you can proudly reply, “I work in the Better Bureau – the Bureau of Immigration” Mabuhay ang Pilipino, mabuhay ang Pilipinas! For your reference and guidance, kindly visit the link below: immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2081&Itemid=103
Posted on: Mon, 07 Oct 2013 11:09:53 +0000
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