Authorities are expecting around three million passengers in various seaports and at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) as Filipinos start the annual Holy Week travel to take advantage of the long holiday break for religious activity, vacation and bonding with friends and relatives.
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said they expect 1.73 million passengers in various ports across the country from April 14 to 20 this year, a 3.5 percent increase from the 1.67 passengers recorded last year.
PPA General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago said that in the first three weeks of March alone, passenger numbers have already reached 3,027,881, or an average of 1,009,294 passengers per week.
“For Holy Week, port passenger traffic is expected to peak, nearing pre-pandemic figures, with an estimated 1,729,426 travelers utilized port facilities during the Lenten season,” said Santiago.
Based on the PPA analysis, the top five ports this Lenten season include the Port Management Offices (PMO) of Batangas with around 20,000-25,000 daily average passengers during peak season.
The Port Management Office Mindoro is on the second spot with highest number of expected passengers, PMO Panay/Guimaras still on the third spot same as last year, PMO Negros Orriental/ Siquijor, and the PMO Bohol on the fifth spot with most number of passengers during peak season.
Santiago said they already initiated measures in anticipation of the influx of passengers starting Monday as part of the “OPLAN Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa 2025.”
The preparations include the conduct of maintenance checks on critical infrastructure, placing standby generator sets for uninterrupted power supply, water systems, and ventilation to mitigate the effects of El Niño and rising temperatures this Lenten season.
“We are prepared for the increased number of passengers this Holy Week 2025, especially as the Lenten Season coincides with summer, most of our local travelers are really taking advantage of this long days of day-off and for some tourists it is also a great time to explore our islands via sea travel,” said Santiago.
He said they also mobilized additional personnel and enhanced terminal operations across key ports and optimized passenger terminal facilities to ensure the functionality of security and safety equipment.
He said they also deployed port police for crowd control and assistance.
Santiago said help desks have been established in major ports nationwide for immediate information concerns of travelers along with the port police and representatives from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) for a seamless travel experience.
“With the adequate manpower, appropriate facilities, and back-up systems placed in ports, we can assure the public that we are ready for the influx but then again, it is the peak season so we appeal to our passengers to book their tickets ahead of time and allot extra hours for travel going to the ports,” said Santiago.
NAIA ready
For its part, the new NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) said it is expecting more than 1.18 million passengers from April 13 to 20.
photo: NNIC
NNIC General Manager Angelito Alvarez said the expected passenger volume is 14.23 percent higher from last year’s 1.04 million.
Alvarez said they also expect flight movements to increase from 6,537 in 2024 to 6,724 this year, with Good Friday, April 18, is expected to be the busiest day, with 851 flights, while Tuesday, April 15, will see the lightest traffic at 818 flights.
He said they already initiated measures in anticipation of higher volume of passengers, including setting up of assistance desks that will be manned by airport personnel, medical teams, and uniformed officers.
Additional traffic aides, according to Alvarez, will be deployed to manage curbside and parking flow, while improved Wi-Fi connectivity ensures passengers can stay connected.
“These measures build on the operational improvements made during NNIC’s first six months at NAIA. These include the deployment of more passenger boarding bridges, upgraded security and baggage systems, expanded transport and parking areas, new air-conditioning units, and more reliable power supply,” said Alvarez.
“CCTV systems now cover the entire baggage handling process, further strengthening safety and transparency,” he added.
