MANILA, Philippines — Airport personnel of the Bureau of Immigration are prohibited from taking vacation leaves starting next month to ensure better service for travelers during the holiday season, a BI official said on Wednesday.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said they would implement the “no Christmas break” policy from Dec. 1 to Jan. 15 next year to ensure that there are enough BI officers on duty to serve the public.
The leave prohibition applies to BI personnel assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the airports in Mactan, Cebu, Clark, Pampanga, Kalibo, Iloilo, Davao and Laoag.
“We have to make sure that immigration booths at the airports are adequately manned in anticipation of an increase in passenger volume,” Morente said.
The BI said it expects a slight increase in the number of arriving and departing passengers as travel restrictions remain in place in several countries amid the coronavirus pandemic.