Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chief Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II announced Sunday that he has ordered all regional directors to begin preparing and implementing contingency measures to ensure passenger comfort and safety during the upcoming holiday exodus.

Mendoza said the agency anticipates a significant surge in travelers in the coming days as schools begin their Christmas break.

At the same time, many people from the provinces are expected to travel to Metro Manila and other urban areas to experience the Christmas season.

“We expect more people to travel starting December due to [the] holiday mood,” Mendoza said.

“This early, we should start all the necessary preparations to ensure that all the passengers will experience fast and comfortable travel to and from their destinations,” he added.

As part of the preparations, regional directors were instructed to conduct regular checks on bus terminals and public transportation hubs within their areas of responsibility.

This effort is intended to ensure the roadworthiness of public utility vehicles and the physical and mental readiness of drivers at all times.

Mendoza issued a stern reminder to all bus companies and terminal operators to “shape up or suffer the consequences” and stressed that existing guidelines govern the appearance, maintenance, and basic facilities of bus terminals and transportation hubs.

“All these guidelines are meant to ensure passenger comfort and safety,” he said, warning operators against mistreating customers. Jing Villamente