PPA advises sea travelers to pack light, book online for Holy Week

The Philippine Ports Authority advised sea travelers headed to the provinces for the Holy Week to limit their luggage and book online to lessen the hassle of their trips.

In an interview over Executive Summary with Benjie Liwanag and Tuesday Niu on Super Radyo dzBB, Eunice Samonte, PPA spokesperson, said due to lessened restrictions and more opportunities to travel, they are expecting around 2 million passengers in seaports compared to the 1.8 million in 2023, the number of which will rise starting Monday.

Due to strict security measures and screening, the PPA advised passengers to limit the amount of luggage.

"Travel light na lang po dahil madami po tayong security screeeningn procedures sa pantalan, epsecially peak season status po tayo," Samonte said.

Passengers were also advised to book their tickets online or in advance to lessen the time they would have to spend standing in lines.

In terms of facilities, Samonte said passenger terminal buildings have air conditioning and there are clinics that are open 24/7 to address medical conditions.

For people traveling with pets, the PPA advised these passengers to follow Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) procedures by securing a Veterinary Health Certificate and a National Veterinary Shipping Permit. There will also be designated places for people with pets.

Samonte also urged passengers to arrive around 3 hours before their scheduled trip.

The PPA also called on shipping lines to add ships to address the expected rise in passengers and to allow for faster turn around times at the passenger ports.—Rhoel Fernandez, GMA Integrated News