The long queues formed at the Bureau of Immigrations (BI) booths in the departure area in NAIA Terminals are expected to get even longer as departing passengers have already started coming in for their respective Holy Week trips.
Since January, many BI employees have resigned or gone on vacation leave to protest the non-payment of their allowances and overtime pay. Protesting BI officers have not been reporting for work, resulting in long queues at immigration counters at the NAIA terminals that both local and foreign tourists have to deal with, Philippine Star reported.
The first major casualties of the BI slowdown are the major airlines such as Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific. They fear that since they serve the most number of local and international passengers, they have to advise their passengers to come early.
PAL announced last April 4 that passengers taking international flights are advised to check in at NAIA Terminal 2 at least four to five hours before their flight’s estimated time of departure. NAIA ticket counters would be open five hours ahead of the scheduled departure, citing the long lines at the BI booths.
Cebu Pacific (CEB) and Cebgo also reminded all passengers to come early since their counters would be open three hours before departure for international flights.
The Department of Tourism had raised concern over the negative effects that the row over allowances and overtime pay between the BI and the Department of Budget and Management would bring, but Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno stood his ground in the feud with BI officers.
