Philippine Immigration Bureau will work normally during Christmas!

According to Philippine media reports, on November 18, Melvin Mabulac, deputy spokesman of the Philippine Immigration Bureau, said that the staff of the Immigration Bureau (BI) should not take a vacation before the end of Christmas to ensure smooth operation in the expected influx of tourists.

"They are not allowed to take leave for the time being to maximize our workforce because we expect a lot of passengers."

"There will also be 55 new immigration officers graduating from the Philippine Immigration College, and we will also deploy them to our different airports and various immigration offices."

All systems are in place to ensure the bureau can carry out its mission as people pour into the country to celebrate the festival with their loved ones, Mabrak said.

A rapid response team will also be on standby with long queues already in place, Mabrak said.

Mabulak said they had contacted airport authorities to ensure backup power was available to prevent a similar incident in September, when a power outage at Nino Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 caused delays and the airport was packed with passengers.