MANILA, Philippines —The holiday season remained in full swing as airports nationwide saw an influx of around 186,000 passengers, while seaports handled approximately 569,000 outbound and inbound travelers on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Thursday, December 26, said that from December 24 to 25, there were around 190,000 travelers, “marking one of the busiest periods of the year.”
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On Christmas Eve, there were 52,437 arrivals and 41,895 departures nationwide. On Christmas Day, arrivals totaled 47,669 and departures 44,192.
In total, there were 186,193 travelers from December 24 to 25.
These numbers are set to increase in the coming days after the New Year’s celebrations.
"Our officers are committed to providing seamless services despite the surge in traveler numbers during this peak season," BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said.
The BI said that passengers should arrive at airports early and ensure they have all their pre-departure and arrival requirements to avoid causing delays.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) likewise recorded a surge in passengers from December 24 to 26.
- December 24: 189,880 outbound passengers; 175,150 inbound passengers
- December 25: 109,900 outbound passengers; 94,232 inbound passengers
- December 26 (6:00 AM to 12:00 PM): 63,099 outbound passengers; 50,741 inbound passengers
On December 24, the total number of inbound and outbound passengers reached 365,030, while on December 25, it was 203,232.
The combined total for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at seaports was 569,162 passengers.
“The PCG has placed its districts, stations, and sub-stations on ‘heightened alert’ from 20 December 2024 to 03 January 2025 to manage the influx of port passengers who will visit their families and loved ones in the provinces,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.