Terminals getting crowded as passengers start flocking to provinces for Holy Week

Many passengers going to their provinces for Holy Week have started trooping to bus terminals and airports to avoid the expected influx of people in transportation hubs.

According to Mariz Umali's report on Unang Balita on Friday, trips at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) are almost fully booked already.

PITX spokesperson Jason Salvador said additional buses are on standby and the terminal only has to request special permits from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to deploy them.

“Karamihan dito sa ating biyahe, karamihan dito, ay fully booked na kaya naman tayo ay nakikipag-ugnayan sa LTFRB at DOTr (Department of Transportation) para payagan tayong magkaroon ng additional units kasi totoo namang napakataas ng demand natin,” he said.

(Most of our trips here are already fully booked, that is why we are coordinating with the LTFRB and DOTr to allow us to have additional units because the demand is really high.)

For the past seven days, Salvador said PITX recorded an average of 90,000 passengers daily. He said it may reach 100,000 daily during Holy Week.

In a separate interview, the official said at the Laging Handa briefing on Friday that no additional documents would be asked from passengers due to the Alert Level 1 being imposed in Metro Manila.

He, however, appealed to passengers to follow the minimum public health standards and "travel light."

Drug tests on drivers

According to a separate report by Bam Alegre, the Inter-Agency Council on Traffic, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Land Transportation Office conducted random drug tests on drivers and conductors at the terminal.

The drug tests, which aim to cover 200 people, are part of the agencies’ Oplan: Harabas to make sure that the trips of passengers will be safe during Holy Week.

Those who were positive for the drug tests would be subjected to confirmatory tests by the Department of Health (DOH). If proven to have used illegal drugs, their licenses would be revoked and they would be directed to the care of their barangay officials for rehabilitation.

The LTO also inspected the facilities of the terminal as well as the wheels, brakes, and other parts of the buses.

Authorities also held an orientation to drivers and conductors about Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013.

NAIA

Meanwhile, many passengers also went to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) early in the morning for their flights to provinces.

Passengers said they booked flight schedules ahead of Holy Week to avoid large crowds at terminals.

They added that they had done research in advance about travel requirements as well as other requirements for hotel accommodation.

Manila International Airport Authority general manager Ed Monreal on Thursday conducted an inspection of the terminals. 

The MIAA said the airport is ready to manage the influx of passengers with tight security and passenger assistance desks in place.

“Yan po ay (That is a) combination of all protocols from  health, security, and operation,” Monreal said in an interview on Dobol B TV on Friday. 

He said domestic flights have already reached 80% of the pre-pandemic level, while arrivals from other countries are now around 10,000 to 15,000 per day.

The Philippine National Police, meanwhile, will deploy around 54,000 personnel nationwide to secure the observance of Holy Week, its spokesperson, Police Colonel Jean Fajardo, said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

“Nakapuwesto na po yung ating mga kapulisan lalung-lalo na po dyan sa mga areas na inaasahan natin na dadagsain ng ating mga kababayan lalo po itong papalapit na Semana Santa,” she said.

(Police are already in place especially in areas where we expect surge of people as Holy Week nears.)

Fajardo advised the public to lock their doors when they leave and limit their social media posts while on vacation, as this may encourage criminals to break into their homes. —with a report from Sundy Locus/KBK/VBL, GMA News