Holy Week was off to a strong start for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), with higher passenger numbers recorded in the first three days of the eight-day period compared to the same time last year.

From 13 to 15 April, the New NAIA Infra Corporation (NNIC) reported 150,511 passengers on Palm Sunday (up from 134,660 in 2024), 142,560 on Monday (up from 124,481), and 140,407 on Tuesday (up from 128,047).

The figures covered only the first half of the Holy Week travel window, which runs from 13 to 20 April. The NNIC projects approximately 1.18 million passengers will pass through NAIA during this period, representing a 14-percent increase from last year based on similar airline load factors.

Despite the surge, airport operations remained smooth, with strategies to manage the increased volume working effectively. The Bureau of Immigration deployed additional officers at all terminals, resulting in shorter lines and faster processing times. This included newly opened immigration lanes at Terminal 3 for overseas Filipino workers.

NNIC also increased the number of traffic officers managing vehicular flow in and out of terminals, while additional passenger assistance booths staffed by medical, security, and support personnel were set up to ensure traveler safety and comfort.

NNIC clarified that a photo circulating online that showed a near empty Terminal 3 at 11 a.m. on Tuesday was taken during an off-peak hour and was not reflective of actual daily traffic, which has consistently trended upward.

At around 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a peak departure time, DoTr Secretary Vince Dizon inspected Terminal 3 with Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado, MIAA general manager Eric Ines, and NNIC general manager Lito Alvarez. They confirmed full staffing at immigration counters and smooth passenger processing.

Terminal 3, NAIA’s busiest, has shown consistent efficiency since the inspection, with strong coordination between airport authorities and government agencies.

The spike in travel is seen as a positive sign for the economy, benefiting the tourism, hospitality, retail and transport sectors.

“This has been a strong start to the Holy Week. We are particularly appreciative of the Department of Transportation and the Bureau of Immigration’s leadership and prompt action, especially in deploying additional officers during peak hours,” said NNIC president Ramon S. Ang.

“Equally significant is the collaboration among the MIAA, Office of Transportation Security, PNP-Aviation Security Group, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Quarantine, and all our airline partners,” he added.

Ang also expressed his gratitude to the NAIA workforce: “We thank in advance all the men and women working across NAIA — our frontliners, operations teams, security, maintenance, and support staff — for their tireless efforts during one of the busiest travel times of the year. Their dedication is making a difference for our passengers.”