(Eagle News) — The Bureau of Immigration has banned employees from taking Tiktok videos of themselves in uniform.
In a statement on Monday, Dec. 7, Immigration chief Jaime Morente said the ban was because the posting of videos by immigration employees dancing, singing and performing other acts in uniform undermines the reputation of the bureau and creates a negative image for the agency’s personnel, especially the frontline immigration officers assigned in the ports of entry.
”Our policy on the wearing of the (bureau) uniform is clear. As public servants and supposed model Filipinos, employees must proudly wear their uniform at all times, present a professional image to the public and observe proper decorum and good taste in all their actions while they are on duty,” he said.
He added that by taking such videos of themselves when at work, immigration employees are violating a standing directive prohibiting the use of mobile phones and other electronic gadgets while on duty, and the bureau’s social media policy.
The bureau’s Internal Social Media Policy states that bureau personnel “must adhere (to) the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees with respect to their actions online, and to desist from behaviors that would bring disrepute to public service.”
All employees were also ordered to “observe proper decorum on social media to protect the integrity of the agency.”
Morente warned employees who defy the ban may be charged administratively for insubordination and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service.
Morente’s order came after several videos of airport immigration officers on Tiktok surfaced online.
The immigration chief described the videos as “reckless.”
Tiktok is a video-sharing social networking service that enables users to create a maximum of 6-second videos of themselves with music in the background.
