MANILA – Around 4.7 million passengers have passed through the country’s ports during the holiday season, surpassing the projected 4.5 million passengers of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
“It’s more than the expected passengers; the total is 4.7 million this 2024 compared to 4.3 million last 2023 and compared to the 4.5 million forecast [for this year],” PPA Spokesperson Eunice Samonte said in a message to reporters on Monday.
According to PPA port passenger data from December 15, 2024, to January5, 2025, Port Management Office (PMO) Batangas recorded the highest number of passengers, with a total of 601,571 — 369,313 embarking and 232,258 disembarking passengers.
This was followed by PMO Bohol with 482,694 total passengers, PMO Negros Oriental/Siquijor with 433,282 passengers, PMO Davao with 442,929 passengers, and PMO Bicol with 312,530 passengers.
They were followed by PMO Negros Occidental Bacolod, PMO MarQuez (Marinduque/Quezon), PMO Panay/Guimaras, PMO Western Leyte / Biliran, and PMO Surigao.
Samonte said the total passenger volume is higher due to lower-than-usual port passenger turnout during the ‘Undas’ (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day) holidays, which were affected by a series of typhoons.
In November last year, the PPA reported a total of 1.076 million passengers from Oct. 28 to November 4, 34 percent lower than the expected 1.622 million, and lower than the 1.544 million passengers recorded during the same period in 2023. (PNA)