Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista assured some 4.5 million passengers going to the provinces for the All Saints’ Day, or Undas, that the government is ready for the sudden influx of travelers.
“Mayroon kaming (We have), every year, we have this Oplan Biyaheng Ayos, para sa ating mga mananakay. So, ready tayo, katulong din natin diyan ang (for the passengers. So, we are ready, with the help also of the) Philippine Coast Guard,” the official said during a Palace press briefing on Monday, Oct. 28.
He added that the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) are also working with the DOTr for this year’s Undas travel.
Bautista said they are expecting some four million passengers—one to 1.5 million bus passengers and around three million in seaports and airports—this year.
He, however, asked passengers going to the provinces for Undas to take “alternative modes of transportation” as some ports and roads are still highly congested in the aftermath of Typhoon Kristine.
His advice is for passengers to take the roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) service from Batangas to Caticlan, Mindoro, Roxas, or Bulalacao.
There are also buses from these areas going to Iloilo, Bacolod, and Cebu.
But asked about the 30-kilometer vehicle queue going to the Matnog and Allen ports in Bicol and Northern Samar, respectively, Bautista lamented that the DOTr has no budget to help the affected passengers.
“Ang mga local governments, ang DSWD working together para matulungan itong mga pasahero na ito (The local governments and the DSWD are working together to help these passengers),” he said.
“Unfortunately, ang (the) Department of Transportation, wala talaga kaming budget na pangbigay doon sa mga affected passengers. But iyong (we really do not have a budget to give to the affected passengers. But the) other government agencies are helping the passengers,” he added.