Biyahe Surge: PCG Tracks 125K Port Travelers by Maundy Thursday Noon

Holy Week travel stayed heavy on Maundy Thursday, with the Philippine Coast Guard monitoring nearly 125,000 passengers in ports nationwide between 6 a.m. and noon. The mid-day count showed just how intense the travel rush remained even after the main pre-holiday exodus had already started earlier in the week.

In its update, the PCG said it logged 60,237 outbound passengers and 64,725 inbound passengers during that six-hour window. Coast Guard personnel also inspected 642 vessels and 999 motorbancas as part of ongoing maritime safety checks across the country.

The agency said its districts, stations, and sub-stations have been on heightened alert since March 28 and will stay that way until April 5. Separate patrol operations were also being tightened in places like Western Leyte to better protect travelers moving through ports during the Holy Week break.

A total of 17,000 Coast Guard personnel have been deployed nationwide for maritime safety and security. That large deployment shows the government is treating this as more than a routine travel weekend, especially with crowded terminals, packed vessels, and the usual pressure to prevent accidents.

The surge is happening while officials also watch the economic side of travel. The Philippine Ports Authority had said earlier that passenger volume for the week might fall short of the expected 2.46 million because higher oil prices linked to tensions in the Middle East may be discouraging some trips. Still, based on Thursday’s numbers, malinaw na maraming bumiyahe pa rin.

Source: GMA News Online