MANILA — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is planning the use of body cameras to promote transparency in the agency and address rising complaints against its personnel.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the bureau was in the process of procuring the body cameras which it eyed to use by the end of the year.

“This is to ensure accountability sa ating mga tauhan particularly sa mga paliparan similar sa ibang bansa sa mga law enforcers nila they have body cameras that can record kung ano ang nangyayari entirety ng duty nila,” Sandoval said during a televised briefing.

Sandoval said the body cameras would have a livestreaming feature which would allow the Office of the Commissioner to monitor personnel.

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Meanwhile, the BI has also resumed the procurement of electronic gates for the country’s international airports. The agency targets to convert 50 percent of their operations via electronic gates by 2023.

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“We have 21 e-gates distributed in international airports. Prior to the pandemic natigil ang further procurement, pero ngayon inuumpisahan ang procurement ng karagdagan, lalo na at sumisigla na naman at dumadami ang bilang ng mga travelers,” Sandoval said.

Sandoval said the budget for the procurement of the electronic gates was included in the proposed 2024 national budget.

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