BI to overseas-bound travelers: Be at the airport early

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has urged overseas-bound travelers this Holy Week to leave early for the airport.

In a statement, Grifton Medina, BI Port Operations Division chief, said that while queues at immigration counters could not be avoided due to the expected surge in the number of travelers, the waiting period was expected to be shorter this year.

He recommended that passengers check in at least three hours before their flight and proceed straight to immigration to avoid the rush.

According to Medina, the BI has enough manpower deployed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to serve the traveling public during the Lenten break.

Some 57 immigration officers assigned to other BI units were temporarily assigned to Naia to augment the bureau’s manpower and minimize the waiting time for passengers.

Medina said that the recently installed e-gates at the BI’s arrival areas in major international airports were also expected to decrease processing time by a third.

Last week, the BI announced that it had placed its men on heightened alert for the Holy Week.