Bureau of Immigration opens office in Taytay

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Immigration now has a satellite office in Taytay town in Rizal province as part of its decentralization program to make its offices accessible to foreigners outside of Metro Manila. The office, which was inaugurated on Wednesday by Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan and Mayor George Ricardo Gacula, is at the old Taytay Town Hall at the corner of Rizal Avenue and Kadalagahan Street in Barangay Dolores. "This office is an important milestone in our bureau's history as foreigners living in the province of Rizal need no longer to travel to Manila to have their documents processed," Libanan said. The immigration chief also thanked the town mayor for the allowing the agency to occupy a space at the old municipal building, which also houses other offices of the Rizal provincial government of Rizal. "This will especially benefit tourist staying in Rizal as they can easily extend their stay in the country without even going to our main office," Libanan said. After the inauguration of the BI's satellite office, Libanan and Gacula signed an agreement to cooperate in the enforcement of immigration laws. The BI decided to open the Taytay office after noting a big increase in foreigners staying Rizal and other provinces in the Southern Tagalog region. Two other offices will be on Thursday, one at the Great Mall of China in Parañaque and another in Sta. Rosa in Laguna. Libanan said the satellite offices will decongest the bureau's main office in Intramuros, Manila. "This is also in line with the call of President Arroyo for all frontline agencies of government to institute measures that would facilitate the delivery of fast and efficient services to the public," Libanan said. - GMANews.TV