Despite the ongoing Middle East conflict, the Bureau of Immigration expects international passenger volumes to remain high in coming weeks. Travel activity stayed strong during Holy Week, said BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado. Repatriation efforts continued for overseas Filipino workers from Dubai, Lebanon, and Kuwait.
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration expressed optimism that international passenger traffic will stay high in coming weeks, despite the Middle East conflict.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said travel activity remained strong during Holy Week from March 29 to April 5, despite disruptions from the tensions. Immigration officers processed 782,344 passengers across all international ports, including 391,243 arrivals and 391,101 departures—slightly higher than last year's 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, up from 3,871,492 arrivals and 4,196,492 departures in the same period of 2025. Travel to and from Middle Eastern countries dropped by around 80 percent during this time.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the optimism for sustained traffic rests on hopes that the Middle East situation deescalates, allowing international travel to normalize. The bureau anticipates continued high volumes at Ninoy Aquino International Airport and other major airports.
Meanwhile, the government continued repatriation efforts, bringing home 488 overseas Filipino workers and dependents from Dubai, Lebanon, and Kuwait on April 14 and 15. This included 125 from Dubai on the evening of April 14 at NAIA Terminal 3, 35 on April 15 from Dubai and Lebanon, and 328 from Kuwait early that morning. The remains of 20 Filipino workers from Kuwait were also repatriated, with assistance provided to families.
