MANILA, Philippines — As the holiday break winds down, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is preparing for a significant increase in passenger traffic at seaports across the country, its spokesperson said on Sunday, January 5.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Algier Ricafrente said an estimated 170,000 to 200,000 passengers are expected to pass through the country’s seaports after the holiday break, as work and classes resume on Monday.
“Many of our countrymen will take the opportunity to maximize their vacation, especially the students, most of whom will actually start going back to school tomorrow,” Ricafrente said in Filipino in a DZBB interview.
From Dec. 20, 2024, to Jan. 3, 2025, the PCG heightened alert levels across all districts, stations, and sub-stations to manage the anticipated influx of passengers at seaports nationwide.
During this period, the PCG monitored 192,981 outbound and 187,757 inbound passengers across all ports.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration stated last month that it expected 110,000 travelers during the holiday season.
Ricafrente emphasized that the PCG will strictly enforce passenger and load limits on vessels to ensure safety amid the expected influx of travelers returning from the holidays.
He also explained that, despite a similar number of vessels being deployed, operations have become more flexible.
Vessels no longer need to strictly adhere to their schedules. They can load passengers as soon as they arrive and are ready to depart.
“Basta ‘pag dumating sila at sila na ang naka-on queue ay mag-load na kaagad sila. ‘Pag natapos sila mag-loading ay pinapayagan na rin natin silang maka-biyahe para mabilis,” he said.
(When they get there and it’s their turn, they can board the vessel immediately. After they’re done loading, we allow them to travel right away.)
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