7 million holiday travelers expected at PITX, seaports

MANILA, Philippines — Around seven million Filipinos are expected to travel through the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) and various seaports nationwide this holiday season, according to the Department of Transportation.

Three million passengers are anticipated to flock to the PITX alone, DOTr Executive Assistant to the Secretary Jonathan Gesmundo said.

He said four million people are projected to flock to seaports until the first two weeks of January 2025.

The management of PITX said this year’s projection surpasses last year’s count of 2.6 million, citing more consecutive long weekends compared to 2023.

To address the surge of passengers during the holidays, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority have implemented measures to manage the anticipated influx of travelers.

The LTFRB extended the validity of special permits for public utility vehicles until Jan. 10, 2025.

The railway systems have also extended their operational hours to accommodate the increased number of passengers.

LRT-1 operator apologizes for delays

Meanwhile, the operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) has apologized to commuters for the delayed arrival of trains at its five new stations.

Complaints from passengers were posted on Facebook by the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC).

A netizen recalled waiting for 30 minutes for a southbound train from EDSA station to Redemptorist station.

LRMC spokesperson Jacqueline Gorospe apologized for the train delays.

“Our maintenance and operations team are working to address the initial birth pains of our newly opened Cavite Extension Phase 1,” Gorospe said.