PAL advises passengers to come to airport earlier due to Immigration manpower shortage

Philippines’ flag carrier Philippine Airlines advised on Tuesday that passengers flying internationally during Holy Week should arrive 5 to 6 hours before their scheduled flights because of the long lines at the immigration counter.

 

This was because of the mass resignation done by Bureau of Immigration (BI) employees after the government was unable to answer their salary woes. Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II puts the blame on President Duterte who ordered for the stopping of the BI officers’ overtime pay.

Since January, 32 BI employees have resigned from their posts, and 50 employees are already on leave. Officers from the Bureau stated that if the issue remains unresolved, the problem may continue during the Holy Week. Red Marinas, BI Port Operations Division Chief at NAIA said that if the manpower shortage persists, the operations of the Bureau will be affected, especially during its peak months.

The issue may also affect the security of the country, as the Bureau act as the agency which regulates the entry of tourists and foreigners in the country, Aguirre said.

 

Sources: philstar.com, news.abs-cbn.com, inquirer.net