In order to reduce the incidence of human trafficking and smuggling of persons, particularly women and children, the Philippine Bureau of Immigration has issued a directive to all Immigration Personnel to adopt stricter implementation of Immigration Departure Procedures. All Immigration personnel have been instructed to require all Philippine nationals departing from the Philippines to present to Immigration Officials at all Philippine ports of exit a Letter of Invitation from a Sponsor Abroad.

The Letter of Invitation from a Sponsor Abroad should be duly notarized by a Philippine Embassy or Consulate which has jurisdiction over the place where the Sponsor resides.

All Filipino travelers are also enjoined to notify the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate of their whereabouts while traveling abroad. This would allow the Philippine Embassy or Consulate to immediately reach Filipinos in times of emergency.