The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) reassures the public that ports nationwide remain ready and well-prepared as more Filipinos travel to reunite with their families during the holiday season.

In a statement on Sunday, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago said the agency understands that holiday travel is especially important for families, overseas Filipino workers, balikbayans, and individuals heading home for Christmas, and emphasized that the PPA’s priority is to make every journey as safe, orderly, and comfortable as possible.

“We know how important it is to get home this Christmas. That’s why the PPA is ensuring that our ports are ready, there are enough personnel, and continuous vigilance is in place to ensure a smooth and safe journey for every passenger,” GM Santiago said.

Christmas travel traditionally brings increased passenger movement as families return to their home provinces to celebrate together.

This is complemented by the arrival of OFWs and balikbayans, as well as heightened domestic tourism, resulting in steady activity across both major and secondary ports nationwide.

To ensure smooth operations, the PPA has activated heightened readiness measures, including a no-leave policy for critical port personnel, additional frontline staff in high-traffic areas, strengthened security screening, and continuous monitoring of terminal operations to maintain passenger safety and comfort.

Port operations have so far remained peaceful and orderly, with no major incidents reported. Routine security checks led to the confiscation of prohibited items such as bladed objects, fireworks, and other flammable materials, all in the interest of protecting the traveling public.

To further assure passengers, the PPA general manager is expected to conduct random surprise inspections at PPA-managed ports nationwide throughout the holiday season to personally check on conditions and ensure that safety and service standards are consistently upheld.