The Philippine transport sector is ramping up preparations to ensure the safe and efficient movement of millions of Filipinos traveling back to their hometowns for the Lenten season.
The Transportation department has directed its attached agencies to be on full alert and deployed additional personnel to manage the crowds, facilitate ticketing and baggage check-in, and address any issues that may arise.
For one, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, along with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), will conduct an inspection of public utility vehicles (PUVs) at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) on March 25, ahead of the Holy Week break, under the Oplan Bantay-Biyahe Semana Santa 2024.
The inspection aims to check if there are help desks set up in the terminals and do random checks on PUVs.
The agency also approved special permits to 1,021 public utility vehicles (PUVs) to ensure smooth travel for Filipinos during the observance of Holy Week.
The Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan also ordered all Regional and District Engineering Offices nationwide to conduct highway routine maintenance activities to ensure untinterrupted traffic flow along major roads this coming Holy Week.
“In anticipation of the heavy flow of traffic this long weekend, implementing offices were instructed to ensure the provision of informative/regulatory warning signs or traffic advisory along ongoing road projects,” Bonoan said.
“They shall likewise make sure that appropriate warning, directional, and information signages are legibly and visibly installed especially along critical sections leading to churches, for the safety of those who will go for Visita Iglesia,” he added.
Vehicle traffic surge
Expressway operators are also bracing for the surge of vehicle traffic during the Holy Week as they expect an 8 percent to 10 percent increase in traffic volume.
In response, the group of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. reactivated its “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko” program, which provides additional manpower for traffic management, towing services, and emergency response teams to address any potential incidents.
“We are encouraging our motorists to plan their trips well and travel during non-peak times to avoid possible delays caused by the influx of travelers,” J. Luigi L. Bautista, NLEX Corporation president and general Manager said.
MPTC is also encouraging motorists to utilize RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) to expedite toll transactions and minimize congestion.
Raul L. Ignacio, president and general manager of MPT South, emphasized the importance of RFID for toll transactions to streamline motorists’ journeys.
“Utilizing Easytrip RFID at MPTC Toll Plazas significantly reduces travel time compared to waiting in long cash lanes,” he added.
Ignacio added that poor vehicle maintenance remains a leading cause of breakdowns on expressways, causing inconvenience to motorists.
The MPTC Group operates the Cavite Laguna Expressway (CALAX), CAVITEX, North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), NLEX Connector Road, Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), and Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) in Cebu.
Airports on high Alert
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), overseeing 44 airports nationwide, is prepared to implement “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Holy Week 2024 to ensure a smooth and safe travel experience for the anticipated increase in air passengers.
The agency is expecting a 7 to 10 percent increase in the number of air travelers during the Lenten season due to the revenge travel following the pandemic.
Based on data from CAAP’s Aerodrome Development and Management Service, passenger movement from March to April 2023 reached 4.4 million, which is 1.2 million higher compared to the 3.1 million recorded during the same period in 2022.
Recently, several airports conducted bomb simulations in preparation for the influx of travelers amidst the emergence of bomb jokes in airports.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), meanwhile, reminded airlines to plan for contingencies, including allocating standby or spare aircraft for unforeseen problems and adhere to the Air Passenger Bill of Rights in taking care of their passengers.
The airlines also ordered to deploy enough sweepers to locate passengers requiring prioritization in immigration queues and open check-in counters earlier, if possible, close them on time, and ensure full staffing of these counters at all times.
In addition, MIAA advised airlines, particularly local carriers, to establish help desks within their respective areas. The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and other pertinent government agencies will also be ready to provide passenger assistance at their respective help desks in the terminals.
“We are prepared for this influx at our terminals, especially as Holy Week coincides with summer, historically a peak season for air travel,” MIAA General Manager Eric Ines said.
He anticipates a 15 percent increase in passenger volume during this year’s Semana Santa compared to the 926,755 passengers that passed through NAIA from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday last year.
Ines ensures adequate manpower, equipment, and optimal working conditions for amenities and key facilities, including critical airport utilities and backup systems.
He added that standby generator sets supplying electrical power to MIAA’s vital facilities in cases of Meralco power failure and replaces fan coils in terminal air conditioning units to address El Niño’s impact and rising temperatures.
Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Asia Philippines have beefed up their manpower to ensure a smooth operation during the Holy Week and the upcoming summer holiday.
