MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is expecting daily departures to surpass 40,000 following the New Year celebrations, driven by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and returning Filipinos resuming travel abroad.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reported that daily arrivals at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) consistently exceeded 40,000 throughout December, with a peak of 51,000 recorded in a single day.

“Since Christmas, we’ve been processing nearly 40,000 departures daily,” Viado said. “We anticipate these numbers will climb further after the New Year as holiday travelers return overseas.”

Viado also highlighted the smooth operations at NAIA during the holiday season, noting no significant incidents or delays.

“We’re confident these efficient operations will continue as we manage the increased volume of outbound passengers,” he added.

The immigration bureau also reported that a total of 186,193 travelers passed through Philippine airports on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  

On Christmas Eve alone, 52,437 passengers arrived in the country, while 41,895 departed. Meanwhile, Christmas Day saw 47,669 arrivals and 44,192 departures.  

The total number of travelers exceeded the BI’s earlier projection of 110,000 passengers across both days.  

The BI advises passengers to arrive at the airport at least three hours before their flights to avoid potential delays and address any unforeseen issues.