Passenger traffic at ports managed by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) dropped by nearly 50% during the Undas 2026 holiday weekend compared with the same period last year, PPA General Manager Jay Santiago said Monday.
In an interview on DZRH's Dos Por Dos, Santiago said port operations remained orderly during the holiday weekend, despite the significant decline in the number of travelers.
“Kapansin-pansin na bumaba ang inaasahang passenger traffic sa mga pantalan na pinamamahalaan ng PPA,” Santiago said.
“Compared to last year, parang nangalahati tayo, almost 50% ang ibinaba ng mga bumyahe ngayong weekend,” he added.
At Batangas Port, which typically handles between 18,000 and 21,000 passengers daily during peak seasons, including Undas, passenger numbers were significantly lower this year.
Santiago said the port recorded only around 1,000 to 8,000 passengers on Oct. 30 and 31.
He cited higher shipping fares as one possible reason for the decline, along with expectations that more Filipinos would travel during the upcoming extended holiday period from Nov. 13 to 18.
Despite the lower passenger volume, Santiago said the PPA remains committed to promoting domestic tourism by improving port facilities, including those at Lucena Port.
He also urged shipping companies to consider lowering fares to make sea travel more affordable and encourage more Filipinos to travel by ship.
Watch the full exclusive interview below:
