Illegal Aliens In The Philippines - Over A Million Undocumented
The country’s Bureau of Immigration (BI) revealed that there are more than 1 million illegal aliens in the Philippines.
According to BI Commissioner Siegfred B. Mison, there are reportedly 1.5 million foreigners living in the country.
Mison, however, disclosed that only 200,000 of these foreigners are registered.
The rest of these 1.5 million non-Filipino residents are not duly registered with the BI and are therefore declared as illegal aliens in the Philippines.
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The ‘TNTs’ Or Illegal Aliens In The Philippines
The BI has a term for these illegal aliens in the Philippines: the “TNTs.”
That would be “tago nang tago” or “TNT,” with its literal English translation of “(people who are) always in hiding.”
In an interview with radio station DZMM, as reported by ABS-CBN News, Mison learned that the BI database shows that the number of documented or registered foreigners living in the country were 200,000.
An estimated 1.5 million foreigners reside in the country.
That figure, according to Mison, was based on the foreign national index for the world and on the country’s population, which is approximately 100 million.
Per Philippine laws, foreigners who wish to stay in the country for more than 59 days must go to the Bureau of Immigration and have themselves registered.
On the 60th day of their stay, if they fail to do so, they shall be considered illegal aliens in the Philippines.
Alien Registration Program
BI Commissioner Siegfred B. Mison reminded foreigners that they can avail of the government’s updated Alien Registration Program.
In that program, a grace period of one year will be given to illegal aliens in the Philippines - or those foreigners who overstayed.
The Alien Registration Program will run from October 1, 2014 up to September 30, 2015.
Mison asks those unregistered foreigners to enlist so that their stay in the Philippines will be deemed legal.
Overstaying foreigners have been informed by Mison that registration will be possible at any of the 43 immigration offices nationwide.
Reminders And Advice
According to the commissioner, as long as the illegal aliens in the Philippines will register, plus - and this one very important - they have no pending criminal charges, they will not be deported.
However, Mison clarified that the Alien Registration Program does not and will not render blanket authority to any foreigner. Being registered does not translate to being immune to Philippine laws.
Foreigners - both documents and unregistered - cannot just do anything they desire while in Philippine soil.
As Mison tells them:
“„If the offense is purely on the basis of visa status or overstaying, we will find means to help you. But you have to voluntarily come out in the open.- Commissioner Siegfred B. Mison, Bureau of Immigration, Republic of the Philippines
He added:
“„The bureau does not really prefer deportation. We only want you to comply with the immigration laws.- Commissioner Siegfred B. Mison, Bureau of Immigration, Republic of the Philippines
However, he cautioned foreign visitors that they risked being deported if they failed to register within the allotted 1-year grace period and were subsequently discovered by any law enforcement agency.
Now even despite getting themselves registered, Mison also explained that the government will deport foreign fugitives or foreigners with criminal charges in or outside the country.
It will then be best for illegal aliens in the Philippines to register at the Bureau of Immigration during the given period and to obey the country’s laws during their stay.