Holy Week 2026: DOTr logs more land passengers amid fuel price hikes

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) reported Tuesday more travelers on public land transport on Holy Week 2026 compared to last year amid soaring fuel prices due to the Middle East crisis.

In an interview on Unang Hirit, DOTr Undersecretary Mark Steven Pastor said transportation for the land sector has not suffered a dent in terms of passenger volume.

He cited robust figures at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) since Palm Sunday, the start of the Holy Week, and expects the numbers to rise in the coming days.

"Partikular sa PITX, ang passenger volume po natin last Sunday ay 178,000. Mas mataas po ito ng 13,000 kumpara sa last year na 165,000. So marami pa rin 'yung bumibiyahe sa ating mga kababayan," he said. 

(At PITX, passenger volume last Sunday reached 478,000, higher by 13,000 compared to last year… Many Filipinos are still traveling.)

The DOTr said this may be due to advance bookings, with many passengers already securing trips to their home provinces ahead of the peak travel period on Good Friday and Black Saturday.

No bus shortage

The DOTr maintained that there is no shortage of buses despite reports of reduced trips from some operators.

Authorities said the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued additional special permits to increase the number of operating buses.

The agency also confirmed reports of alleged overcharging by some bus operators.

"May walong bus companies na naging pasaway nitong weekend… nag-issue po sila ng show-cause orders," Pastor said.

(Eight bus companies violated rules this weekend… They were issued show cause orders.)

Passengers were advised to ensure they are charged based on the approved fare matrix, and to report any violations.

Warning vs. 'colorum' rides

The DOTr also warned the public against using unregistered or "colorum" vehicles, which tend to proliferate during peak travel periods.

"Hindi kailanman po dapat maging excuse ang problema natin ngayon upang baliin ang mga alituntunin sa pampublikong transportasyon. Huwag pong tangkilikin ang mga kolorum dahil ito po ay lubhang delikado… Wala po tayong passenger insurance dito at ito po ay hindi legal na pagbiyahe," Pastor said.

(The problems we face should never be an excuse to violate transport regulations. We urge the public not to patronize illegal vehicles because these are dangerous… these do not provide passenger insurance and are not legal trips.)

Authorities said enforcement operations are ongoing in coordination with other government agencies.

Still flying locally

With regard to air travel, domestic flights remain largely unaffected as most passengers are using previously booked tickets.

However, some international flights, particularly those bound for the Middle East, have been canceled.

Passenger volume in ports has also increased, although the DOTr acknowledged limited vessel capacity in some areas.

To address this, the DOTr directed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCT) to assist stranded passengers and, if needed, to provide free rides at high-traffic ports.

Trains to be halted

Commuter railways are currently offering discounted fares, but operations of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1), LRT Line 2 (LRT-2), and Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) will be temporarily suspended for maintenance.

"Simula po sa Huwebes… hanggang Linggo ay hihinto po muna ang operasyon… para sa kanilang annual maintenance," he noted.

(From Thursday to Sunday, operations will be temporarily suspended for annual maintenance.)

With this, the department urged the public to plan their trips early, use only authorized public transport, and report any irregularities to authorities. — Sherylin Untalan/ VDV, GMA Integrated News