The Philippine Ports Authority said it has yet to see a decline in passenger traffic across its ports despite rising fuel prices, as many travelers are expected to proceed with planned Holy Week trips.

“We cannot really say. But as of now, we don’t have records na nag-decrease ang foot traffic. We will see the effect of high fuel prices during the peak season. Although, our travels are scheduled ahead of time. So yung mga kababayan natin, naka-set na sa utak nila na uuwi sila and they have already allocated budget or saved money for this, and there’s a big possibility na itutuloy nila yun,” said Atty. Mark Jon S. Palomar, assistant general manager for operations of the PPA, during a press conference Tuesday.

The PPA recorded 2,291,666 passengers across its managed ports nationwide during Holy Week 2025.

Earlier, domestic shipping lines under the Philippine Interisland Shipping Association announced fare increases of 20 to 30 percent starting early March 2026 due to rising fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East.

Despite this, Palomar said the Department of Transportation and the Maritime Industry Authority are in talks with stakeholders to address ticket pricing.

“A lot of our cargo uses vessels plying our seas to be delivered. And these vessels use fuel, so there has been dialogue on how to assist them and to mitigate the effects of surging fuel prices,” he said.

Lower fees for agri cargo

Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation said Roll-on/Roll-off vehicles transporting agricultural goods will benefit from reduced port charges, after the PPA cut the RORO Terminal Fee to P1 for six months.

The move follows the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ease the impact of rising fuel prices on the transport sector.

The reduced fee applies to light and heavy delivery vehicles carrying raw and unprocessed agricultural products, including grains, fruits, vegetables, fishery products, livestock, and poultry.

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the policy supports food security, price stability, and efficient logistics.

"The decreased RORO Terminal Fee will help in lowering the operating costs of owners or drivers of vehicles with agri products," he said.

"Kailangang makabiyahe ang mga produkto kahit mataas ang presyo ng krudo. Ginawa nating piso na lang ang RORO terminal fee para patuloy ang biyahe ng mga essential goods," he added.

The existing RORO Terminal Fee ranges from P65 to P516, depending on the vehicle type.

ORAS system launched

The PPA also launched its Online Reservation Assistance System, a digital platform that allows passengers to select routes and vessel schedules before arriving at port terminals.

The system aims to reduce long queues during peak travel periods such as Holy Week, Undas, and Christmas.

Passengers can register online, upload identification, and receive a QR code that serves as booking confirmation after verification through a one-time password.

“What we are trying to solve here is the perennial problem that you can see in ports during peak seasons. Passengers go to ports without tickets and line up for hours. We are putting up a system to ensure that passengers can get a ticket with certainty,” Palomar said.

Palomar said the system, developed by the PPA, follows a simple process: “Scan, choose, and reserve.”

“We are not selling tickets but ensuring passengers are getting tickets because they have signed up for their voyage. We have talked to shipping lines and Marina and we are implementing this system in ports. The ORAS QR code will go live by 26 March,” he added.