PHILIPPINE STAR/EDD GUMBAN

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) will deploy 40 more workers to international airports nationwide amid an expected travel surge during the Holy Week, according to its spokesperson.

“We will be deploying an additional 40-plus immigration officers to augment our existing personnel and ensure that all our counters are fully staffed to serve the public,” Immigration spokesperson Dana Krizia M. Sandoval told a news briefing in Filipino on Thursday.

She also said the bureau had opened a dedicated wing for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 to streamline and expedite immigration processing. The new OFW wing can accommodate about 3,000 OFWs daily.

She advised passengers to arrive at the airport three to four hours before their flights to avoid delays.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Romando S. Artes will inspect bus terminals along the Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue (EDSA) from Cubao to the north in preparation for the Holy Week.

He will also check the readiness of agency personnel in traffic management and in providing assistance to commuters, the agency said in a statement.

The MMDA would likewise conduct random drug tests among drivers and conductors to ensure passenger safety.

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., earlier this week ordered the Department of Transportation and its attached agencies to carry out strict inspections of terminals, ports and airports to cut travel delays during the Lenten break next week.

He also ordered law enforcement agencies to tighten their watch on crime during the holiday break.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on April 3 said more than 40,000 cops would be deployed nationwide to maintain peace and order on April 13 to 20.

Police regional offices were also ordered to conduct regular inspections and boost police presence in crowded places such as terminals, ports and transport hubs.

In a separate statement on Tuesday, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said it expects passenger volume at the country’s seaports to increase 3.5% to 1.73 million next week from a year earlier.

The port regulator noted that for the first three weeks of March, it had logged 3.03 million passengers, or an average of 1.01 million passengers per week. This year, PPA expects passenger volume to increase 9.5% to 85.41 million from a year earlier.

The Holy Week, which commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is one of the most significant religious observances in the predominantly Catholic Philippines. It will start on April 13 during Palm Sunday and end on April 20 during Easter Sunday. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana