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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Seven Filipino immigration officers complete Australian-backed training on COVID-19 response

Seven Filipino immigration officers complete Australian-backed training on COVID-19 response

Published Mar 11, 2021 07:37 pm

The Australian government, in partnership with a renowned Australian research institution, has concluded a four-week training of immigration officers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) who are at the forefront of border closures due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic.

At least seven Filipino senior officers from the Bureau of Immigration, alongside their counterparts from the other nine ASEAN countries, completed the training on COVID-19 response delivered by Australia’s Department of Home Affairs and the RMIT University.

Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Steven J. Robinson AO said his country is committed to supporting the Philippines’ response to COVID-19, and this includes preparing for the resumption of travel and improving readiness for future pandemics.

“In the spirit of mateship and Bayanihan, we are pleased to be able to work with the Bureau of Immigration on this leadership training course, which is being delivered online for the first time,” the envoy said in a statement.

Jane Honner, Australian Embassy’s chief immigration officer and counselor, said the Border Control Agency Management Program (BCAMP) Upskill–Pandemic Preparedness program supported 54 immigration and border officers from the 10 ASEAN countries who are at the forefront of international efforts to oversee border closures and resumption of travel.

BCAMP Upskill-Pandemic Preparedness is an Australian government-sponsored training program, delivered in partnership with the RMIT University branch in Hanoi, Vietnam. The training is divided into four key themes, namely, challenges faced by immigration agencies; best practices during the COVID-19 crisis; reopening borders; and preparations for future pandemics, with a focus on building skills and connections between immigration stakeholders.

The BCAMP, which started in 2010, has provided specialized training for immigration, border, and customs officers from the ASEAN countries including the Philippines, and has become a “prime example of the cooperation between Australia, the Philippines and other countries to address problems of a regional magnitude,” according to Honner.

In his keynote address, Bureau of Immigration’s Deputy Commissioner Aldwin Alegre said the regional training program “is essential as part of the Philippines ’ preparation to open up travel and improve our readiness for future pandemics.”

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