Many bus trips already fully booked as Holy Week exodus starts

Many passengers seeking to go to the provinces for the Holy Week have started flocking to bus terminals in Metro Manila early, with many bus trips already fully booked. 

In a bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City, trips of airconditioned buses going to Camarines Norte are already fully booked until March 31, according to on an Unang Balita report by James Agustin. 

Those bound for Camarines Sur, meanwhile, are also fully booked until March 28. 

Bus dispatcher Norman Marcilla said that people may still take ordinary buses that travel daily. Extra airconditioned buses will also be deployed in case needed. 

“Ang fully booked namin ay mga aircon buses lang. Pero ‘yung sa mga ordinary po, first come, first served,” Marcilla said. 

(Our aircon buses are fully booked. As for the ordinary buses, it’s on first come, first served basis.) 

The family of Arleen Capiral just arrived in Metro Manila from Ilocos Sur early Monday morning. However, they have to travel again to Camarines Norte to attend a family reunion this Holy Week. 

“Para kami ay hindi abot sa siksikan ng biyahe kasi ‘yun nga, wala naman nang reservation tapos mahirap sumakay,” she said. 

(We traveled early so that it would be less crowded. There’s no reservation and it’s difficult to get a ride.) 

Sheryl Forbes also filed a leave of absence starting Monday to travel to Quezon along with her two children. 

“Para makaaga kami ng biyahe kasi mahirap na ang biyahe sa Miyerkoles,” she said. 

(We wanted to travel early because it would be difficult to find a ride on Wednesday.) 

Bus trips to Baguio and Zambales are also fully booked in some terminals on March 27 and 28. 

Another terminal also needed to apply for a special permit from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to deploy extra buses going to Nueva Ecija.

On the other hand, trips in several bus terminals and seaports in provinces are also fully booked this Holy Week. 

At the Bicol Central Bus Station, most passengers this weekend came from Metro Manila. Bus trips bound for Metro Manila, and back to Naga City, are already fully booked during the latter days of the week. 

Trips in San Andres Port in Catanduanes are also getting fully booked already. 

Police and the personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard also inspected the Matnog Port in Sorsogon. They are preparing for the influx of passengers until Wednesday.

The number of passengers arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 has also started to increase on Holy Monday, based on an Unang Balita report by Bam Alegre. 

The family of Shirley Averilla plans to go to a white sand beach this Holy Week, as travel restrictions have already eased.

“It’s great bonding with your sister and your pamangkin after eight years. So ang laking pasasalamat, blessing for us na magkakasama kami ulit to celebrate the Holy Week [we’re thankful and blessed to be together this Holy Week],” she said. 

Arlene dela Torre was accompanied by her family from Nueva Ecija to the airport as she is set to go to Hong Kong to work as a domestic helper. Her flight was still at 8 a.m. but she already arrived in the terminal at 1 a.m.

Abdul Azis and his family, meanwhile, also decided to go to NAIA early even if their flight to Mindanao is still scheduled at noon because they didn’t want to get late during rush hour. 

More than one million passengers are expected at the NAIA amid the expected exodus of travelers for the Holy Week break.  —KBK, GMA Integrated News