To instill discipline and professional work ethics in the bureaucracy, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) implemented a policy of strictly requiring its officials and employees to personally register their daily attendance through a biometrics-based ‘bundy clock’ system.

BI Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Ronaldo Ledesma, in an order signed recently, directed the bureau’s 2,000 personnel to strictly observe a 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. work schedule.

The order, which took effect starting this month, covers all BI employees, including division and section chiefs, supervisors, unit heads, confidential agents, and co-terminus or contractual employees.

The BI chief required the bureau’s employees to personally register their attendance in the bureau’s biometrics-based ‘bundy clock’ system when reporting for and leaving from work.

“They were also directed to attend the bureau’s flag-raising ceremony every Monday at 7:15 a.m.,” the order stated.

Lawyer Felino Quirante Jr., BI administrative chief, lauded Ledesma’s move, saying the order is necessary to instill discipline and professional work ethics within the organization.

Quirante said he had proposed revoking the alternative attendance system implemented during previous administrations because it was prone to abuse.

“We have been receiving reports that some employees who were permitted to use the alternative system of attendance were not rendering full-time work to the detriment of public service,” he said.

Quirante observed that as a result of the new policy, BI employees are now registering near-perfect attendance in recent days and during the last two flag ceremonies.

Ledesma’s memorandum also provides for the imposition of several administrative penalties on habitually absent and tardy employees.