The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Sunday reported processing almost 32,000 arrivals on Christmas Eve.

BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said immigration officers assigned at different international airports processed a total of 31,992 arrivals on Dec. 24.

Majority of the international passengers arrived via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), with Terminal 1 welcoming 10,047 passengers, while Terminals 2 and 3 welcoming 4,646 and 12,615 travelers respectively.

The BI reported processing a total of 22,248 departures on Christmas Eve.

Tansingco assured the public that while lines are expected due to the worldwide increase in international travel, passengers are expeditiously processed.

"All counters are fully manned, our e-gates are being utilized, and we have a special team of officers ready to augment manpower as needed," said Tansingco. "The implementation of the eTravel system also significantly decreases the paper requirements of arriving passengers," he added.

Tansingco said they see the increase in travelers as a positive sign that tourism is on the rebound. BI News