More than two million passengers are seen to be traveling by sea in this year’s Holy Week to spend time with family or for vacation, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said Tuesday.
Interviewed on Unang Balita, PPA spokesperson Eunice Samonte said they are expecting the peak of travelers to arrive in seaports later this day until Wednesday in time for the long weekend.
“Base sa ating monitoring mula last Friday last week, nasa around 500,000 na ang mga pasahero. Mas marami ‘yan sa ine-expect natin dahil ang forecast natin nasa 2 million lamang ngayong Semana Santa. Inaasahan natin na mabe-breach ‘yung 2 million na forecast,” she said.
(Based on our monitoring since Friday last week, the number of passengers was around 500,000 already. That’s more than what we expected because our forecast was only 2 million passengers this Holy Week. We expect to breach the 2 million forecast.)
Samonte said that passengers are expected to return to Metro Manila starting Sunday.
She also said that the PPA would be deploying full manpower to cater to the influx of passengers this Holy Week.
“Handa naman ang PPA, lalo na po nakahanda na ang ating imprastraktura like ‘yung passenger terminal building ay in-improve natin mula Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao. Binuksan na natin ang ilang mga extension ng terminal building natin para masiguro na konbinyente ang kanilang stay dito sa ating mga pantalan,” she added.
(The PPA is ready. Our infrastructures are also ready, like the passenger terminal buildings that we improved in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. We have opened several extensions in the terminal building to ensure that the passengers’ stay at our ports is convenient.)
PPA on Sunday 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. —Giselle Ombay/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
