A group of veteran journalists who organized a weekly news forum in a hotel in Metro Manila gave their thumbs-up to Marcelino Libanan for his stellar performance as commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration.

It was the second time in successive year that organizers of the Bulong Pulungan recognized the accomplishments of Libanan as the country’s chief gatekeeper.

In 2008, Libanan shared the award with then Senate President Manuel Villar and MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando.

Bulong Pulungan is a weekly forum hosted and organized for several years now by a group of journalists and opinion makers to tackle the important socio-political and economic issues of the day.

Libanan received the Exemplar Award last Dec. 15 from veteran journalists and Bulong Pulungan mainstays Deedee Siytangco, Donnie Ramirez and Julie Yap-Daza at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.

Organizers said Libanan was chosen to receive the award “for his sterling performance as head of the BI, transforming it into a lean, modernized, transparent, and effective guardian of the gateways of the country.”

Various sectors, including the Philippine Chambers of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and the various foreign chambers in the country have credited Libanan, who assumed office in May 2007, for successfully transforming the image of the BI and reforming its policies and programs that ushered in the delivery of fast and efficient services to the public.

It was under Libanan’s stewardship that the BI was de-listed from the list of government’s most corrupt agencies and instead was hailed as an anti-corruption champion by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC).

The visa-issuance-made-simple (VIMS) scheme, Libanan’s flagship project, was instrumental in expediting the processing and approval of visa applications, including applications for extension of stay of tourists.

Libanan was also credited for eradicating the notorious escort racket at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which had victimized many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the past.

The BI’s campaign against human trafficking and foreign fugitives from justice also intensified during Libanan’s stint with hundreds of illegal aliens being turned back at the airports and the capture of foreigners wanted for serious crimes in their homelands.