The Bureau of Immigration (BI) expects over 110,000 travelers this holiday season, according to Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado.
The BI chief shared that last year, the average number of arrivals during the Christmas weekend was over 53,000, while departures averaged 43,000.
This year, the BI anticipates these figures to surpass pre-pandemic levels, with December 2019 seeing an average of 55,000 arrivals and 47,000 departures daily.
Viado assured the public that the agency has taken steps to ensure smooth operations during this busy period. To maximize staffing, requests for leave from frontline officers are being denied, and extra personnel have been deployed at major international airports.
Additionally, personnel from the BI’s main office are being sent to assist with airport operations, while rapid response teams and mobile counters will be activated to ensure efficient processing of passengers during the peak season.
