By authority of Section 3 of Commonwealth Act No. 613 (Philippine Immigration Act of 1940), as amended, in relation to the overall authority of the Commissioner of Immigration on matters within the Bureau of Immigration ™s jurisdiction, including those relating to its operations and the enforcement of all laws and regulations pertaining thereto, and in order to increase the capability of the Bureau to protect the country ™s borders from illegal entrants, the following is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Establishment of Immigration Field Offices. - Immigration Field Offices are hereby constituted and established in Taganak Island, Municipality of Turtle Islands, Province of Tawi-tawi, and in the Municipality of Balabac, Province of Palawan, to be identified and referred as the Taganak Immigration Field Office and Balabac Immigration Field Office, respectively.

Section 2. Area of Responsibility. - The Taganak Immigration Field Office and Balabac Immigration Field Office shall exercise immigration authority in all the respective islands comprising the Municipality of Turtle Islands, Province of Tawi-tawi and the Municipality of Balabac, Province of Palawan.

Section 3. Function and Scope of Authority. - In addition to the immigration services regularly rendered by an Immigration Field Office pursuant to existing policies, rules and regulations, the Taganak Immigration Field Office and Balabac Immigration Field Office shall serve as the primary immigration inspection points of vessels and persons arriving in their respective area of responsibility from a place outside of the Philippines or departing from their respective area of responsibility to a place outside of the Philippines.

Section 4. Closure of the Brooke ™s Point Boarding Station. - The Brooke ™s Point Boarding Station in the Municipality of Brooke ™s Point, Province of Palawan is hereby closed. All material resources and logistics presently installed and deployed thereat shall be transferred to the Balabac Immigration Field Office.

Section 5. Administrative Provisions. - The Commissioner of Immigration shall, through appropriate Personnel Orders, designate from among the divisions, sections, units or offices of the Bureau, in such number as may be necessary to adequately and efficiently operate and manage the said Immigration Field Offices established herein and perform the administrative and operational functions, duties and responsibilities appertaining thereto.

Resources and logistical requirements shall be sourced from existing budgetary provisions and allocations of the Bureau, subject to and consistent with existing laws, rules, regulations and relevant accounting and auditing procedures.

Section 6. Supercession Clause. - All circulars, memoranda, orders and other issuances inconsistent with this Order are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Section. 7 Effectivity. - This Order shall take effect immediately upon approval.

Let a copy of this Order be furnished to the Office of the national Administrative register (ONAR), U.P. Law Center, University of the Philippines, diliman, Quezon City.

Adopted: 25 January 2012


(SGD.) RICARDO A. DAVID,  JR.
Commissioner

Approved:

(SGD.) HON. LEILA M. DE LIMA
Secretary
Department of Justice