Bureau of Immigration

April 21, 2023

Dear Gervas,

Greetings!

Thank you for your request dated Apr 13, 2023 under Executive Order No. 2 (s. 2016) on Freedom of Information in the Executive Branch.

Your request

You asked for Passport.

Response to your request

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we would need for you to authorize someone to personally file your request to the BI Main office if you wanted to lift your Blacklist Record in the existing derogatory record in the Bureau. Because Derogatory Record consists of personal information and it is protected under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, comprehensive and strict privacy legislation “to protect the fundamental human right of privacy, of communication while ensuring free flow of information to promote innovation and growth.” Thus, the Bureau could not disclose the subject information thru online. It can only be disclosed to the owner of the information, to third party if with Special Power of Attorney of the owner of the Data or with court order. 

Moreover, lifting of derogatory record must be filed personally or thru your authorized representative (with Special Power of Attorney) to the BI Main Office, which shall undergo assessment and evaluation of an assigned hearing officer subject to the final approval/disapproval of the Bureau’s Commissioner.


Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your FOI request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response by writing to the BI Commissioner, NORMAN G. TANSINGCO, Bureau of Immigration, Magallanes Drive, Intramuros, Manila. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made within 15 calendar days from the date when you received this letter. We will complete the review and tell you the result within 30 calendar days from the date when we receive your review request.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Office of the President under Administrative Order No. 22 (s. 2011).

Thank you.

Respectfully,
BI-National Operations Center (BINOC)
FOI Officer