Travelers face crowds, higher fares at terminals on Holy Monday

A surge of passengers was observed flocking to ports, airports, and bus terminals on Holy Monday during the Holy Week exodus despite rising fuel prices and travel costs.

At the Batangas Port, long queues formed as early as Palm Sunday for passengers bound for Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and Aklan, according to a report on Unang Balita.

Travelers waited for hours just to secure tickets.

Some shipping lines have already raised fares in response to the series of fuel price hikes. To cut fuel costs, an operator has reduced trips to Puerto Galera.

From 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Holy Monday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said a total of 19,726 outbound passengers and 15,136 passengers have been monitored in all ports nationwide.

At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City,  passengers packed the lobby of Terminal 1 with long lines at the check-in and immigration counters, according to a report of Darlene Cay.

Travelers should arrive early and prepare required documents, the Bureau of Immigration said.

One traveler bound for Cagayan de Oro noted heavy traffic and overwhelming crowds even before reaching the airport.

Passengers said the rising cost of fuel has affected airfare.

A couple traveling to Davao said their airfare doubled from around P3,500 to P7,600. Another passenger shared that she paid P35,000 for a round-trip ticket to Thailand.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said a higher passenger fuel surcharge will take effect on April 1, increasing to Level 8 from Level 4 for a 15-day period due to rising fuel prices.

According to CAAP, no immediate impact is expected on airfare this week. The trips of some Holy Week travelers were booked already in advance, it added.

But CAAP sees a possible decline in international travel in the coming months due to the rising fuel prices.

The agency said there is sufficient fuel supply to sustain airport operations. 

To help ease the burden on airlines and passengers, CAAP said that aeronautical fees and service charges will be reduced as directed by the Department of Transportation.

Meanwhile, at bus terminals in Cubao, Quezon City, many passengers are struggling to secure tickets for provincial trips, according to a report of James Agustin.

Several routes, including those bound for Daet, Camarines Norte, Albay, and Camarines Sur, are already fully booked until early April.

Some travelers have been waiting at terminals since Palm Sunday, hoping to catch available trips as “chance passengers.”

Operators said additional buses have been deployed but advised that long waiting times are expected. 

Filipinos generally head to their hometowns during Holy Week to spend time with their families.

Malacañang earlier declared April 2 (Maundy Thursday), April 3 (Good Friday) as regular holidays, while April 4 (Black Saturday) is a special non-working day. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News