Former BI chief-of-staff now new Immigration Commissioner

by Argyll Cyrus Geducos, Manila Bulletin

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has named lawyer Norman Tansingco as the new Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Malacañang confirmed.

Bureau of Immigration

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles made the confirmation after Tansingco’s appointment circulated on social media on Monday, September 12.

The President signed his appointment paper on Monday. 

Tansingco’s appointment came two weeks after reports circulated that Marcos had appointed lawyer Abraham Espejo Jr. as Immigration Commissioner.

Tansingco is no stranger to the BI. He has been with the Bureau for nearly a decade and was the chief-of-staff of former Immigration Commissioner Marcelino Libanan.

He was also once a technical assistant to the Commissioner.

The Bureau of Immigration enforces the country’s immigration and foreign nationals registration laws.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla once named BI a department that “needs their help.”

Remulla lamented that the BI was the “face of the country” but was embroiled with “extortion syndicate, human trafficking syndicate, and protection syndicates” issues.

Over the past years, the BI was under fire for the so-called “pastillas” scheme that was first exposed in 2020. Under this scheme, Chinese nationals had supposedly entered the country without background checks in exchange for bribes.

It was named “pastillas” because the rolls of grease money involved in the illegal activity, which had supposedly reached P40 billion in October 2020, looked like the said Filipino snack. 

Typhoon Inday exits PH area of responsibility; another tropical cyclone may enter PAR by Sept. 15 or 16

(PAGASA FACEBOOK PAGE)

by Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz, Manila Bulletin

Typhoon Inday (international name: Muifa) left the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early Tuesday morning, Sept. 13, the State weather bureau said, as it monitors another tropical cyclone that may enter the PAR by Thursday or Friday, Sept. 15 or 16.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Inday left the PAR at around 12:40 a.m., and was already 560 kilometers (km) north-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of 4 a.m.

It had maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.

While the typhoon has already left the PAR, PAGASA said the extreme Northern Luzon may still experience wind gusts.

In the next 24 hours, the entire archipelago will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of rain showers or localized thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, PAGASA continues to monitor another tropical depression outside the PAR as of Tuesday morning.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the tropical depression was estimated at 1,720 km east of extreme Northern Luzon.

It has maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph, while moving eastward “slowly.”

“Modest intensification is likely today (Sept. 13) through tomorrow (Sept. 14). By Thursday (Sept. 15), improving environmental conditions will enable the tropical cyclone to intensify at a relatively faster rate. Current forecast scenario shows that this tropical cyclone will enter the PAR as a typhoon,” PAGASA said.

PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said the cyclone may enter the PAR by Thursday or Friday, and once inside the PAR, the domestic name “Josie” will be assigned to this tropical cyclone.

Aurelio said that based on the latest track forecast, the tropical depression may only pass through the right corner of the PAR.

“This tropical cyclone is forecast to remain far from the Philippine landmass and not directly affect the weather condition in the country,” PAGASA said.

“However, it may enhance the southwest monsoon within the forecast period. This may bring monsoon rains over the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas beginning tomorrow (Sept. 14) or on Thursday (Sept. 15),” it added.