Filipinos make last-minute rush to provinces for holidays

Filipino commuters and motorists made a last-minute dash early Friday to get to their home provinces to spend the holidays, even as some commuters already gave up on the idea. Traffic on parts of Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) slowed anew as bus terminals were packed, traffic began to build up on roads leading out of Metro Manila.
"Some bus drivers unloaded or accommodated passengers in the streets. Many of the passengers had big bags with them," a spokesman for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's Metrobase said in Filipino in an interview aired on dzBB. Also, the MMDA said that while traffic on EDSA eased slightly at 3 a.m. Friday, it began to get tight again at about 5 a.m. The last-minute rush started as early as Thursday night when Filipinos who could not file their leaves early went to the bus terminals to get a ride home, according to a separate dzBB report. Some passengers spent Thursday night at or near the terminals to hold on to their chance to get home before Christmas Day. But on Friday morning, some commuters seemed to have given up hope of joining their families in their home provinces, as they returned their tickets and canceled plans for last-minute bookings. DzBB’s Allan Gatus reported that as of 7 a.m. Friday, some passengers at the Araneta Bus Terminal in Quezon City returned their tickets and paid a 15-percent service charge. The report quoted some of the passengers who returned their tickets as saying they may not make it to their home provinces because of the long wait for a ride. The passengers said they would rather spend Christmas this year in Metro Manila. Traffic buildup At the North Luzon Expressway, traffic control specialist Romy Navarro said traffic began to build up at 5 a.m. but was still manageable. "Nagsisimula nang mag-increase ang volume pero manageable pa (Traffic volume at NLEX has started to increase but it is still manageable)," Navarro said. On the other hand, South Luzon Expressway spokeswoman Alma Tuazon similarly said traffic volume along SLEX has begun to increase. "Marami nang paluwas papuntang probinsya e moving naman po (Many Filipinos are starting to proceed to the provinces. But traffic is moving)," she said. On the other hand, the Philippine Coast Guard said the Christmas rush started to ease Friday. Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said the biggest volume of passengers at seaports was noted on Thursday, although he did not provide figures. "I think Thursday was the peak of the Christmas rush at seaports. But there are still some passengers trying to get a ride at seaports today. This may last until Christmas Day on Saturday," he said in Filipino in an interview aired on dzBB radio. He said security measures, particularly against deadly weapons, drugs and firecrackers, remain in effect. Medical teams and sea marshals also remain on alert to assist and protect passengers on seagoing vessels, he said. — LBG, GMANews.TV