Passengers line up at the Immigration counters of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 on April 10, 2017. (File photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Immigration personnel assigned to international ports won’t be allowed to take vacation leaves from Nov. 15 to Jan. 15, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said in a statement issued on Monday.
The ban on leaves would ensure that there would be enough personnel to handle the surge in travelers during the holiday season, especially with the easing of travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Tansingco, the passenger volume at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has already started to peak.
“This is always the season when the services of our immigration officers are most needed in the airports. This is a sacrifice we have to make to serve the traveling public,” Tansingco said.
The ban on leaves applies to all BI employees assigned to NAIA and other international ports such as those in Mactan, Clark, Davao, and Kalibo, according to Carlos Capulong, the BI acting ports operations chief.
Only employees with medical and other emergencies would be allowed to take leaves.
Capulong said there would also be a special team of BI officers always on standby to augment and assist in processing arriving and departing passengers.