Shipping lines pressed to cut fares as traffic plunges
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is urging shipping companies to lower passenger fares after sea travel during the Undas holidays dropped by 16.1 percent, as rising ticket prices and a shorter holiday break discouraged Filipinos from traveling.
In a public interview, PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago said shipping fares have increased by an average of 10 to 15 percent, weakening passenger demand and putting shipping operators at risk of further losses.
Santiago warned that keeping fares high despite declining passenger volumes could hurt shipping companies, which must continue operating vessels even with fewer passengers.
"Our appeal is for shipping lines to consider reducing fares so more passengers can afford to travel, allowing operators to minimize their losses and attract more travelers," Santiago said in Filipino.
He said operators could benefit from attracting more passengers through lower ticket prices rather than maintaining expensive fares that discourage travel.
Data from the PPA showed that passenger traffic at ports nationwide fell to 1.36 million from 27 October to 2 November, down from 1.62 million during the same period in 2025.
The decline means 261,382 fewer passengers passed through PPA-managed ports during the seven days.
Santiago said higher fares were among the main reasons cited by travelers for postponing their trips, as households continued to face rising living costs.
"The first reason cited by our passengers for the slowdown in travel was the increase in shipping fares. On average, fares have gone up by 10 to 15 percent," he said in Filipino.
The slowdown was evident even during traditionally busy travel days.
On 31 October, passenger traffic reached 245,718, down from 265,899 a year earlier. Traffic on November 1 also fell to 163,272 from 192,698, while November 2 recorded 209,886 passengers compared with 253,732 last year.
At Batangas Port, which typically handles between 17,000 and 21,000 passengers daily during peak travel periods, Santiago said only about 7,000 to 8,000 passengers were recorded on 31 October.
A similar slowdown was observed at Lucena Port, a major gateway for travelers heading to Marinduque and Romblon.
Apart from higher fares, Santiago attributed the weaker turnout to the relatively short Undas break, which ran from Saturday to Monday.
He said some travelers may have postponed their trips until the longer 14 to 18 November holiday period, coinciding with ASEAN-related activities.
The PPA expects passenger traffic to recover during the upcoming break and plans to repeat its Undas preparations from 13 to 18 November.
To help ease travel expenses, the agency has waived passenger terminal fees at the newly opened passenger terminal building in Lucena until the end of the year.