HOLY WEEK TRAVEL. Passengers bound for Panay Island wait to board vessels at the Bredco port in Bacolod City at around 7 a.m. on Thursday (April 6, 2023). Some 123,691 passengers traveled through various ports across Western Visayas for the Holy Week break from Wednesday afternoon to early Thursday noon, a report from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) showed. (Photo courtesy of Coast Guard District-Western Visayas)
BACOLOD CITY – Some 123,691 passengers traveled through various ports across Western Visayas for the Holy Week break from Wednesday afternoon to early Thursday noon, a report from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) showed.
Based on the monitoring of the Coast Guard District-Western Visayas (CGDWW), led by Commodore Arnaldo Lim, 70,578 outbound passengers and 53,113 inbound passengers boarded the vessels plying routes in Negros and Panay islands either to return home, go on vacation, or visit pilgrimage sites.
These included 51,529 outbound and 37,020 inbound passengers from 6 p.m on Wednesday until 6 a.m. on Thursday as well as 19,049 outbound and 16,093 inbound travelers from 6 a.m. to noon on Thursday.
Some 426 vessels and 1,063 motor bancas have been inspected for travel, records showed.
"No stranded passengers or vehicles have been reported," it said.
The influx of passengers has been expected on Wednesday, the last regular work day before the Holy Week holidays, as government offices were already closed by noon.
In line with the "Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2023", the CGDWW deployed 377 personnel as of Thursday, including those in Antique, 54; Aklan, 42; Iloilo, 91; Capiz, 29; Guimaras, 31; North Negros Occidental, 81; and South Negros Occidental, 49.
From April 2 to 10, the PCG is on heightened alert to enhance safety measures in ports and seaways across the country during the Holy Week.
“We declared a heightened alert with more security personnel, K9 units, medical teams, harbor patrollers, vessel inspectors and deployable response groups,” Admiral Artemio Abu, PCG commandant, said in an earlier statement. (PNA)
