The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is preparing for a continued rise in passenger traffic in the coming weeks, even as tensions in the Middle East have dampened travel to the region.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said travel volume remains strong, noting that most flights had already been booked prior to the escalation of unrest.
Data from the bureau showed that during the peak travel period from March 29 to April 5, a total of 782,344 passengers were processed across all international ports of entry. This included 391,243 arrivals and 391,101 departures—figures closely mirroring last year’s Holy Week numbers of 371,731 arrivals and 361,361 departures.
For the first quarter of 2026, the BI recorded 4,218,683 arrivals and 4,521,001 departures, surpassing the 3,871,492 arrivals and 4,196,492 departures logged during the same period in 2025.
Despite the overall growth, Viado acknowledged a sharp decline in travel to the Middle East, with flights to and from the region dropping by an estimated 80% in the early months of the year.
Nevertheless, the bureau remains optimistic that international travel will stay robust, driven by strong demand and previously booked trips to other global destinations.