Philippines and Australia Collaborate to Enhance Border Management

CANBERRA – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) of the Philippines has entered into a partnership with the Australian government to foster knowledge exchange on border management, aiming to enhance immigration controls and counter-terrorism efforts.

According to Philippines News Agency, Commissioner Norman Tansingco led the BI delegation to Canberra and Melbourne from February 5 to 8. The visit was part of a study tour program organized by the Australian Embassy in the Philippines and conducted by the Australia Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force.

During their stay, the Philippine officials visited critical sites and engaged in roundtable discussions with senior officers from Australian agencies. These discussions covered a wide range of topics, including advanced passenger information systems, immigration priorities, strategies to combat human trafficking, cyber threats, and counter-terrorism measures.

Tansingco highlighted the importance of the program in understanding Australia’s approaches and strategies in these areas. He expressed the delegation’s interest in adapting and implementing best practices within the Philippine immigration context. The program also allowed the BI delegation to explore innovative technologies and operational methodologies used by Australian authorities.

Particularly, the discussions on the Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record systems, which are utilized for pre-vetting arriving foreign nationals, drew significant interest. The Philippine delegation also focused on Australia’s strategies for security, combating human trafficking, and the use of electronic gates at border points.

Tansingco noted the eye-opening learnings from the study tour, which the Philippines plans to adopt. He emphasized that such international collaborations provide valuable insights into global trends that can be implemented to improve immigration services in the Philippines.