The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is suspending all application for leave of its personnel assigned at international airports for the duration of Holy Week travel rush.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the leave ban will start on March 24 and end on April 15.
"During the Lenten season, all applications for vacation leave and authority to travel abroad will be denied to ensure sufficient number of manpower to service the expected increase of travelers," said Tansingco.
He said the large volume of international passengers is not only expected at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, but in other major ports like in Mactan, Cebu, Clark, Pampanga and Kalibo, Aklan.
“We have to see to it that our immigration booths at the airports are fully manned in order to cope with the long queues of arriving and departing passengers,” Tansingco said.
Since the Philippines reopened its borders after the onslaught of Covid-19, the BI has been processing more than 30,000 international passengers daily, compared to around 7,000 during the pandemic.
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