Undas the way (I like it), a-ha a-ha

Travel rush? Plan ahead. Have you booked your tickets yet?

Here we go again, the time of year when we pack our bags and go off for a little while — for some time off, for leisure, to go home to our loved ones and feel the provincial wind.

For most people, Undas means a quiet moment at the cemetery or a candle lighting at home to remember their departed loved ones. For some, it is a long awaited trip home for a family reunion, perhaps a little vacation on the side.

Sometimes, planning the trip is more stressful than the trip itself. For people like me, who is such a planner, I would not go out unless things were planned out and ready for execution. But for some people, spontaneous trips are the best because they just go with the flow, including the delays, the tickets running out, and having to fall in line for the bus that may never come.

Anyone who has traveled on long weekends knows the drill — the many bags, the queues, the holidays spent in airports and seaports after tickets ran out. Well, a peak travel season like Undas can really test your patience, that is why preparation matters.

This Undas, an estimated 1.93-million passengers are expected to pass through the seaports from 27 October to 5 November.

While airports have extended their operating hours and number of flights, selected seaports under the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) are gearing up for Undas 2026 by rolling out the Online Reservation Assistance System, or ORAS.

This system allows travelers to check sailing schedules and reserve their trips ahead of time, helping reduce long queues and improve the passenger flow.

For example, if you’re at home and you decide to go by sea, you can now reserve your place using your fingers. The process is simple: Scan, Choose and Reserve. Instead of leaving everything to chance, passengers can check the ORAS website before heading to the port, review sailing schedules, and make their reservation.

In other words, a little planning on your phone can save you time and stress, anxiety about making it to the ticket counter before the seats run out. Sounds promising, right? This is being implemented in select ports like Batangas, Calapan and Lucena, those with the most number of passengers in peak seasons.

General manager Jay Santiago has been with the PPA long enough to know the solutions to the longstanding problems every peak season — and digital is the way to go!

From the typical mano-mano ticketing to the online reservation, I guess it’s time to embrace the changes if we really want long term and not Band-Aid solutions at the ports.

For those who cannot make an online reservation, assistance is available at the ports. Of course, we cannot assume that everyone has reliable internet or is comfortable navigating online systems. This is the part where we say that digitalization should make travel easier and not leave anyone behind.

For this Undas, the ORAS Pass is valid until two hours before the scheduled departure, shorter than the previous three-hour validity. Passengers should therefore pay close attention to their reservation details and make sure they follow the instructions while bringing the requirements for verification.

Of course, technology is only one part of the equation; it is not a blanket solution for all the problems during peak season travel. If there’s something we need to be reminded of, it is not to wait until the last minute to figure everything out because peak season travel is not the best time for improvisation.

Undas is after all about remembering the departed and being with our loved ones. Let us try to avoid making it more stressful by being unprepared, especially for travel.

Safe travels, everyone, and let us cherish the time we have on earth as we spend it with the people most important to us. Less stress and more peace of mind be with you all!