With the Holy Week drawing to a close, the Philippine Coast Guard is preparing the ports for the surge in passengers traveling back to Metro Manila.
Capt. Armand Balilo, PCG spokesperson, said travelers are expected to start arriving in Metro Manila starting on Easter Sunday.
“We expect them to begin returning to their homes by Sunday until early Monday morning,” he said.
Some of these passengers traveling by ship are headed to the city for a brief vacation, while most of them are returning from their provinces where they spent the Holy Week.
The PCG is preparing for the return of travelers to Metro Manila by beefing up its security in the country’s ports.
“Our personnel in the ports regularly submit reports and photos for us to see the situation in ports all over the Philippines. It’s part of our monitoring of the PCG districts and stations,” Balilo said.
Earlier, the PCG created passengers assistance centers will be established in ports across the country, staffed by the PCG and the PCG Auxiliary unit, and a medical team.
Passengers traveling by sea were advised to be at the port three hours before the departure time, and to avoid carrying prohibited items.
These include flammable liquids and solids, corrosive materials, toxic and infectious substances, compressed gases and radioactive materials and explosives.
Those carrying firearms must present complete documents to avoid search delays and inconvenience.
The PCG also appealed to passengers riding on boats with open decks to cooperate and comply with the regulation on wearing of life jackets during the voyage. /atm