MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Monday reported a 79-percent drop in the number of international travelers who entered the country this year due to travel restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said BI statistics showed that more than 3.5 million passengers arrived in the Philippines from January to Dec. 25, compared to 16.7 million in 2019.
Of those who arrived this year, 2.03 million were Filipinos while 1.54 million were foreigners, he added.
On the other hand, 8.7 million Filipinos and 7.9 million foreigners entered the country in 2019. Morente said the 13-million drop was not surprising, considering the worldwide drop in international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government continues to implement travel restrictions on international travel, especially foreign tourists who are still prohibited from entering the country.