Over 110K travelers expected during holiday season

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is expecting more than 110,000 travelers during the holiday season.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said average arrivals over the Christmas weekend exceeded 53,000 last year, while departures averaged 43,000.

“We are expecting the numbers to further increase this year, and we believe that it will now exceed pre-pandemic numbers,” according to Viado.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the BI recorded an average of 55,000 daily arrivals and 47,000 departures in December 2019.

Viado assured the public that preparations are in place to ensure smooth operations during the holidays. 

“We have ramped up our operations at major international airports, with additional personnel to maintain a smooth flow of passengers,” the BI chief said.

“Our team is closely monitoring our operations,” he added.IMT