Holiday travel is now in full swing in Dagupan City as thousands of passengers head home to their provinces a few days before Christmas, prompting transport authorities to tighten inspections and manage the surge in bus trips.

As early as 8 a.m. on December 22, 2025, terminals in Dagupan were packed with travelers. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 1 stepped up inspections as part of its Oplan Kapaskuhan to ensure passenger safety and orderly travel during the busy season.

LTFRB inspectors checked essential safety features of buses, including emergency equipment and onboard monitoring systems. According to LTFRB Region 1 Transport Development Officer Karla Trysha Taaca, these checks are crucial amid increased passenger volume.

“Tsini-check namin if may first aid kit, mga early warning device, if working yung kanilang mga CCTV, GPS, yung kanilang emergency glass,” Taaca said.

She added that terminals and operators have, so far, managed the holiday rush well.

“Nama-manage nila ng maigi ang mga passengers, ang kanilang mga terminals kumportable po, kumportable sila,” she said.

Due to the surge of travelers, bus operators expect trips to reach up to 400 daily between December 22 and 23. Terminal Master Michael Agbuya said special permits helped address the demand and allowed flexible routing.

“Dagupan-Baguio didiretso ng Sta. Cruz, yung biyaheng Sta. Cruz-Dagupan didiretso ng Baguio. Binigyan ng special permit yung Zambales-Cagayan para any route sila,” Agbuya said.

With more buses on the road, trip intervals have shortened from 30 minutes to as low as 10 to 15 minutes. Some routes, including trips bound for Cagayan, are already fully booked.

For passengers like Brianna Eustaquio, traveling ahead of Christmas helps avoid stress.

“Ayaw po naming makisiksikan sa daming tao tapos ayaw din naming ma-traffic at ma-hassle po,” she said.

Authorities assured the public that inspections and monitoring will continue throughout the holiday season to ensure safe and smooth travel for all passengers.