PCG: Almost 200,000 outbound passengers seen in seaports during Holy Week

Close to 200,000 outbound passengers were monitored at seaports nationwide during Holy Week, the Philippine Coast Guard said Sunday.

As of April 4, the PCG logged 195,257 outbound passengers and 167,690 inbound passengers in all ports nationwide.

Sixteen PCG Districts inspected 1,650 vessels and 3,879 motorbancas. 

The PCG earlier announced it was placing on heightened alert all districts, stations, and sub-stations from March 28 (Saturday before Palm Sunday) to April 5 (Easter Sunday) as passengers were expected to troop to seaports for the Holy Week break.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, PCG spokesperson Captain Noemie Guirao-Cayabyab said the seaports with the most passengers were Cebu, Batangas, Aklan, Iloilo, and Davao.

Cayabyab added that the number of passengers monitored this Holy Week was almost the same during Holy Week 2025.

The PCG is expecting that the bulk of passengers would arrive at ports today, Easter Sunday, as Monday is the start of the workweek for most.

"‘Yung maraming numero ng pasahero ay usually sa Sunday, so, ngayong araw ‘yan," Cayabyab said.

(Usually on Sunday, there are many passengers, so that's expected today.)

"As we speak, we believe that enough iyong mga sasakyang pandagat na nagki-cater ng ating pasahero," she added.

(As we speak, we believe that there are enough sea vessels that could cater to our passengers.)

Drowning incidents

Meanwhile, the PCG monitored 26 drowning incidents nationwide starting March 28.

"Simula noong March 28...ay 26 ang ating naitala na pagkalunod nationwide," Cayabyab said.

This was lower than the almost 53 drowning incidents last year, she added. —KG, GMA News