Bureau of Immigration (BI) authorities reported having recorded almost 50,000 arrivals during New Year’s eve.
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said that 49,892 passengers arrived on December 31 and that of the number, 34% of which are foreign nationals.
Several hotels and establishments in Metro Manila hosted new year countdowns which was attended by Filipinos and foreigners alike.
The BI shared that they processed a total of 1.6 million arriving passengers for the month of December, which is more than their initial projection of 1.5 million.
There were also no major concerns or issues reported during the BI’s operations this holiday season.
“Better public service is our gift for the holidays,” said Tansingco. “We are happy that our measures are working, and we vow to continuously improve our systems for 2024 and the years to come,” he said.
This, he said, shows that the country is regaining its momentum as a popular holiday destination for foreign nationals.
