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BI assures uninterrupted services in all ports this Christmas season

Philippines | National

BI assures uninterrupted services in all ports this Christmas season

By Jun Ramirez

Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco assured the public of uninterrupted service in all ports for arriving and departing passengers this Christmas holiday.

The BI chief said they have implemented several measures to maximize the BI’s manpower during the peak season.

“Historically, travelers sharply increase during Christmas and New Year, and we are making sure that we are fully manned and ready to serve them," Tansingco said..

The assurance comes after a photo of long immigration lines at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 was posted by a media outlet last November 12.

BI port operations chief Carlos Capulong explained that the incident was caused by the simultaneous arrival of 11 flights carrying more than 2,000 passengers.

“Processing that much passengers within a short period of time, coupled with the limited area for passengers is really bound to cause a long queue,” Capulong said, adding that the problem was immediately resolved by efficient and quick processing of travel papers.

Capulong said that 14 primary inspection officers were augmented by immigration officers from their rapid response team.

He added that the five electronic gates at NAIA Terminal 3 are all fully operational, lessening processing time to eight seconds per person.

The BI has more than 140 counters at the arrival and departure areas of the NAIA, with several lanes prioritizing Filipinos and OFWs.

Related Tags

Holiday rush bureau of immigration

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