PBBM to agencies: Ensure safe, convenient Holy Week travel

As the Holy Week exodus begins, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed relevant government agencies to ensure safe and convenient journeys for travelers who will be going home to spend time with their families and loved ones, or those who will take a quick vacation break.

According to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro, Marcos has directed the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all passenger terminals and crowded places are well protected amid the commuting rush.

“Ang gusto po ng Pangulo natin at ang direktiba po niya ay bigyan po ang ating mga kababayan at hindi lamang po mga kababayan, kung sinuman po ang bumibisita sa ating bansa nang isang safe at convenient travel,” she said in a briefing in Malacañang on Monday.
(What our President wants and his directive is to give our countrymen and not only our countrymen but also whoever visits our country, a safe and convenient travel.)

She added that the President has also tasked the Philippine National Police to ensure that homes left by vacationing Filipinos would remain protected against burglars and thieves.

DOTr Secretary Vince Dizon personally conducted an inspection in bus terminals as well as seaports to assess the land and seaworthiness of buses and sea vessels that will carry passengers to their destinations.

He flagged bus terminals in Pasay City that are operating “illegally,” as well as passenger vessels that allegedly issued tickets beyond the ship’s passenger capacity, leaving some passengers stranded in the ports.

Dizon has ordered an investigation into the erring passenger vessel bound for Romblon.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration gave assurance that it is ready for the influx of passengers in airports.

It added that it will deploy an additional 48 personnel to man immigration counters to prevent buildups in queues of arriving and departing passengers.

According to the New NAIA Infra Corp., it is expecting over 1.8 million passengers between 13 to 20 April, with its busiest day of the Holy Week on Good Friday, facilitating the arrival and departure of over 850 flights.