PITX: Asean long weekend may affect travel schedules

MANILA, Philippines — Fewer travelers are expected to flock to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange for the Undas break, in light of the five-day long weekend in Metro Manila to make way for the 49th ASEAN Leaders’ Summit in mid-November.

PITX said it anticipates only 1.9 million passengers traveling to the provinces between Oct. 25 and Nov. 4, down from 2.1 million last year.

President Marcos declared Oct. 31 (All Saints’ Day eve) a special non-working holiday and Nov. 1 (All Saints’ Day), a regular holiday.

All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2, a Monday, is not a holiday.

According to PITX, travel schedules may change because Marcos declared Nov. 16 to 18 special non-working days in Metro Manila for the ASEAN Summit.

Since Nov. 16 falls on a Monday, residents in the metropolis can enjoy a five-day long weekend starting Nov. 14.

Jason Salvador, PITX corporate affairs and government relations director, said the landport expects crowds to swell on Oct. 30, when 200,000 passengers are seen to travel to the provinces since it is the last day of the workweek.

“While Undas remains a major travel period, we are preparing for possible shifts in demand. This is why our coordination with bus operators is important, so we can assess where additional trips may be needed,” Salvador said.

PITX reminded passengers to book trips early to avoid unnecessary delays.