The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) reached a historic milestone on Saturday, December 23, recording a whopping 161,000 passengers in a single day as Filipinos traveled home to celebrate the Christmas holidays. This number surpassed the airport’s projected volume for the season, highlighting the rush of holiday travelers.
Stories of Christmas Journeys
Among the travelers was Rolando Macalisang, who eagerly headed to Zamboanga to reunite with his mother and two children after three years of separation. Siblings Angela Ronquillo and her brother also made their way to Zamboanga to spend eight days with family.
Kate Limpoco, on the other hand, chose to travel on Monday with her family to Dumaguete City, avoiding the peak weekend crowds.
Higher Numbers Compared to Last Year
According to the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), this year’s holiday season saw a significant increase in passenger volume compared to last year. Of the 161,000 passengers recorded on Saturday, 81,683 were domestic travelers. While numbers slightly dropped on Sunday, airport officials anticipate continued movement leading up to Christmas.
MIAA spokesperson Jeff David shared, “The bulk of passengers have left Manila for the provinces, but we’re still monitoring potential surges, especially by December 23.”
Managing the Passenger Surge
To handle the influx, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) deployed over 30 additional personnel and set up mobile counters to reduce long queues. Immigration officers were allowed to greet travelers with a cheerful “Merry Christmas” but were reminded not to accept or solicit gifts.
NAIA Terminals 2 and 3 witnessed the highest passenger traffic during this period. On December 22, MIAA expected 156,000 travelers, while numbers for Monday were estimated at 152,000.
Bustling Holiday Rush Beyond NAIA
The holiday rush extended beyond NAIA to other key transportation hubs:
- Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX): PITX logged 183,000 passengers by 6 p.m. on December 23, with buses to the Bicol Region fully booked. Walk-in passengers, however, were still accommodated. The terminal recorded its highest traffic this season on December 23, with over 204,000 passengers.
- North Luzon Expressway (NLEX): Traffic along NLEX remained light on Monday evening, as most motorists had already traveled between Thursday and Sunday. To ensure smooth traffic, 1,500 personnel were deployed, and free towing services for Class 1 vehicles were made available starting Tuesday.
- Batangas Port: Passengers formed long lines to secure tickets due to scheduled ticket sales aimed at maintaining order. On Sunday, operations briefly halted after a group of passengers boarded a ship without adhering to their assigned schedule. Despite these challenges, over 26,000 passengers passed through Batangas Port on Sunday.
A Nationwide Effort
From airports to bus terminals and expressways, transport authorities worked tirelessly to ensure safe and efficient travel during the holiday season. With Filipinos eager to reunite with loved ones, the spirit of Christmas travel remained alive and bustling across the country.
