MANILA, Philippines – Millions of Filipinos are expected to go to their home provinces or will be traveling either abroad or in another part of the country in the coming days.
April 17 and 18 have been declared a holiday in observance of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, respectively. Both airport and sea port authorities have prepared to accommodate more passengers to travel during Holy Week this year compared with 2024.
Here’s how the country’s transportation sector is preparing ahead of the rush.
Land travel
The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will suspend its number coding scheme on April 17 and April 18. Meanwhile, reblocking and road repair work will be done from 11 pm on April 16 to 5 am on April 21 — the specifics of which roads will be affected will be announced on its social media accounts.
The MMDA will also allow provincial buses to pass through EDSA from 10 pm to 5 am from April 16 to 20 to give way for additional trips to cater to those traveling to and from their respective home provinces.
“Provincial buses coming from North Luzon shall end their trips at the bus terminals in Cubao, Quezon City, while provincial buses from South Luzon shall stop their trips at the bus terminals in Pasay City,” MMDA Chairman Don Artes said.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) granted 1,018 special permits ahead of the Holy Week exodus. These will only be valid from April 11 to 27.
The MMDA will deploy 2,542 field personnel and 468 assets to support and ensure the safety of motorists.
“Our field personnel and assets will be positioned on major thoroughfares leading to transport hubs and key areas in the metropolis to manage traffic flow and guide motorists and commuters,” Artes said.
Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) — the concessionaire behind NLEX, SCTEX, NLEX Connector, Manila-Cavite Expressway, Cavite-Laguna Expressway, and the Cebu-Cordova Expressway — is also preparing for the surge of travelers this coming Holy Week. Through its Biyaheng Arangkada Semana Santa program, the operator will also offer free basic mechanical checks and minor repairs, free wifi, drinking water, and health and wellness checks at select rest and refuel stations along its expressways.
For private vehicles traversing NLEX, motorists who wish to get a free Easytrip RFID sticker may get one beginning April 14 until April 20.
NLEX will also have mobile charging hubs for electric vehicles at Petron Lakeshore (for those heading north) and Shell Mexico (southbound) from April 16 to 17 and April 19 to 21.
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Over 1.18 million passengers from 6,724 flights are expected to go through the country’s main international gateway, up by 14.23% from 1.04 million in 2024. New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) said it’s already “all systems go.”
“This is a team effort involving not just NNIC, but also our government partners, airline operators, and the entire airport community. Everyone is working hard to keep things running as smoothly as possible as we prepare for the Holy Week rush,” NNIC General Manager Angelito Alvarez said.
“We ask for the public’s patience and cooperation in the days ahead, as we work together to make the travel experience better for everyone.”
Previous efforts of making curbside pick up available to all has helped ease traffic at NAIA, while more parking spaces are now also available to passengers. Alvarez is confident that the new operator of NAIA can manage the busy days ahead.
Transport Secretary Vince Dizon went to NAIA on Thursday, April 10, to inspect the airport ahead of the Holy Week. He said officials are expecting “some improvements” in the coming days.
“Our priority is to make the experience of our kababayans and our tourists — our foreign tourists — really as pleasant as possible,” Dizon said.
Meanwhile, local airlines have also issued advisories:
- Passengers with domestic flights are advised to go to the airport at least 3 to 4 hours before their flight, while those with international trips should be at the airport around 4 to 5 hours before departure.
- Cebu Pacific said those headed to Dubai may check in at least 7 hours before their flight.
- For those with international trips, make sure eTravel forms are completed.
- Check in online to avoid the hassle at the airport.
- Double-check baggage allowances and their respective airline’s baggage policies.
- Cebu Pacific reminds passengers to check details of their flight itineraries:
- 5J flights depart and arrive at NAIA Terminal 3
- DG flights are operated by Cebgo will smaller turboprop aircraft. DG flights heading to Siargao and Masbate are operated from Clark International Airport, while other DG flights still take off from NAIA Terminal 2.
- T6 flights are operated by AirSwift, with flights arriving and leaving Manila from NAIA Terminal 2.
Sea ports
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is expecting a 3.5% increase in passengers on this year’s Holy Week, translating to about 1.73 million going through the country’s ports from April 14 to 20.
“We are prepared for the increased number of passengers this Holy Week 2025, especially as the Lenten Season coincides with summer, most of our local travelers are really taking advantage of this long days of day-off and for some tourists it is also a great time to explore our islands via sea travel,” PPA General Manager Jay Santiago said.
The PPA said it has already conducted maintenance checks ahead of the busy season. It will also deploy additional personnel to help with operations, as well as port police to help with crowd control and to assist passengers who need help.
The top five busiest Port Management Offices are expected to be Batangas with about 20,000 to 25,000 daily passengers, followed by Mindoro, Panay/Guimaras, Negros Occidental/Siquijor, and Bohol. – Rappler.com