MORE than 110,000 travelers are expected to flock at the premier airports during the holiday season.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said this, adding that Christmas weekend arrivals last year was at an average of more than 53,000 while departures were at an average of 43,000.
“We are expecting the numbers to further increase this year, and we believe that it will now exceed pre-pandemic numbers,” he said, with an assurance that preparations have been made to ensure smooth operations during the holiday season.
Prior to the pandemic, the BI saw an average of 55,000 daily arrivals during the month of December and also recorded an average of 47,000 departures in December 2019.
Viado said that applications for leave of frontline officers are denied during the peak season to ensure full deployment capacity.
“We have ramped up our operations at major international airports, with additional personnel to maintain a smooth flow of passengers. Our team is closely monitoring our operations,” the BI chief added.
It was learned that in addition to the new officers, the BI is deploying personnel from its main office to support airport operations. The BI has also said that they are activating its rapid response teams and deploying mobile counters to ensure efficient processing during the peak season.
Prior to the pandemic, the BI saw an average of 55,000 daily arrivals during the month of December and also recorded an average of 47,000 departures in December 2019.
