PITX logs 180k passengers bound for provinces ahead of Christmas

The Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) has recorded over 180,000 passengers traveling to their respective home provinces for the Christmas holidays as on Monday night.

According to Katrina Son’s report on “State of the Nation” on Monday, bus rides at the PITX are not yet fully booked although more travelers are expected to flock to the transport hub in the coming days.

Bookings for trips bound for Visayas and Mindanao are at 33% while bookings for Bicol-bound buses have exceeded 72%. Authorities however reminded passengers to allot enough time for their travel as well as lining up for security checks and tickets.

The PITX also has a wide array of shops where passengers can do some last-minute shopping for pasalubong, clothes, and food.

Razelle Almella will go home to Legazpi City, Albay to be with her family this holiday season.

“Para po makaspend ng Christmas sa family. Kasi once a year lang naman eh. So for one year, nandito kami. So at least since December, makauwi sa pamilya,” she said.

(To spend Christmas with my family. It’s just once a year. So for one year, we’re here [in Metro Manila]. So at least, since it’s December, it’s best to go home to my family.)

The passengers did not seem to mind the crowds and the queues at the PITX as they were all excited and full of hope that they would be reunited with families and relatives this Christmas.

“Yung magkakasama-kasama kami ng mga pamilya, lalong-lalong na ngayon sa darating na Pasko, ay sana nandoon kami lahat para sa salong-salong pagkain at para makapiling ang mga magulang,” a male passenger said.

(To be together with our families, especially now that Christmas is near. We wish to be there to eat together and to be with our parents.)

A female passenger agreed: “Siyempre, minsan lang magkikita. Minsan-minsan lang magkita eh, taunan.”

(Of course, we only get to see each other once in a while. It’s just once a year.)

This Christmas is bittersweet for 19-year-old Kharl Celon, who lost his mother earlier this year. However, he will see his father for the first time in 16 years and will be spending Christmas with him.

“First time ko po makaka-bonding ‘yung Papa ko po ng Pasko po. Since bata po, kasi ako ngayon po lang siya nakasama po ulit. So ngayon po, nagkaroon kami ng conversation then this coming Christmas po, doon po ako sa kanya magcecelebrate,” he said.

(I will be bonding with my Papa for the first time this Christmas. I haven’t seen him since I was a child. We had a conversation and then this coming Christmas, I will celebrate it with him.) — JMA, GMA Integrated News