More than two million tourists have traveled to the country during the first six months of the year compared to the same period since Covid-19 pandemic, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Thursday, Sept. 21.

“‘Yung first six months of the year we’ve already recorded more than two million na mga turista (We have recorded over two million tourists who arrived in the country during the first six months of the year,” BI Deputy Spokesperson Melvin Mabulac said on PTV.

“We are expecting ngayon pagdating ng ‘ber’ months po mas tataas po ito considering na alam naman po natin when we celebrate holiday season during ‘ber’ months talagang dinadagsa po tayo ng iba’t ibang mga dayuhan at mga kababayan natin gustong umuwi dito sa Pilipinas (We are expecting that this ‘ber’ months that the number of arrivals will increase considering that when we celebrate the holiday season during the ‘ber’ months there is a surge of foreigners and returning Filipinos),” Mabulac said. 

He assured that the BI is prepared with the surge of passenger arrivals for the “ber” months.

“Ang ating pong mga tauhan sa airport po we have to ensure na puno po sila (We ensure that all immigration counters are manned),” he said.

“At the same din po pagdating po ng November, October we suspend ang pag-issue ng leave sa ating mga tauhan to ensure na ang ating mga tao doon ay kumpleto (In November and October, the BI suspends the granting of leaves to ensure that the immigration personnel are complete),” he added.

He also said that starting next month, the BI will also be deploying to the country’s international ports newly hired immigration officers.

Also in October, he said "meron po tayong bagong immigration officers na itatalaga din po natin sa mga paliparan nationwide po ito (we will have new immigration officers to be stationed in airports nationwide)."

“We are asking the public as well na considering ito po ay (this is) passenger season, peak season, that they have to be early po sa ating mga paliparan (in all our airports)," he added.