The Bureau of Immigration (BI) projected an influx of over 110,000 travelers this upcoming holiday season.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reported that last year, an average of over 53,000 arrivals and 43,000 departures were recorded during the Christmas season.
He added that the number is expected to rise this year, with the agency believing it will exceed pre-pandemic levels.
In December 2019, an average of 47,000 departures were recorded. Before the pandemic, the country also saw an average of 55,000 daily arrivals during December.
Meanwhile, Viado assured the public that necessary preparations have been made to ensure smooth operations throughout the holiday season.
"We have ramped up our operations at major international airports, with additional personnel to maintain a smooth flow of passengers,” said Viado.
Leave applications for frontline officers are denied during the peak season to ensure full deployment capacity. He also mentioned that teams are closely monitoring operations.
Furthermore, the BI is bolstering airport operations by deploying main office staff and activating rapid response teams and mobile counters for the busy season.
