PROVINCIAL buses will be allowed to ply EDSA this Holy Week, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
In an advisory, the agency said all provincial buses can ply EDSA from March 23 to March 27, and on April 2, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
The agency said provincial buses can use EDSA from March 28 until April 1, “with no time restriction or limit.”
“Provincial buses from Northern Luzon can ply EDSA up to Cubao, Quezon City terminal.
Provincial buses from Southern Luzon are allowed up to the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and terminal in Pasay City,” MMDA Chairperson Romando Artes said.
Artes said they authorized provincial buses on EDSA this Holy Week in anticipation of the exodus or mass return of travelers from the provinces.
The MMDA will also suspend the implementation of the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or number-coding scheme on March 28, Maundy Thursday, and March 29, Good Friday.
Artes also reminded the public that there is no number coding on Saturdays and Sundays.
He also advised the public to carefully plan their trip during the Lenten break.
“Plan your trips during the Lenten break carefully. The MMDA wish you a peaceful Lenten season break,” he said.
Artes earlier said the agency will deploy around 2,300 traffic enforcers and other personnel during the Holy Week.
He said the MMDA is also implementing a “no absent, no leave” policy for the entire Holy Week.
Malacanang yesterday suspended work in government starting 12 noon on March 27, Holy Wednesday, to give public servants more time to prepare and observe Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
“To provide government employees full opportunity to properly observe Maundy Thursday and Good Friday on 28-29 March 2024 and to allow them to travel to and from the different regions in the country, work in government offices on 27 March 2024 is hereby suspended from 12 o’clock in the afternoon onwards,” said Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin who issued Memorandum Circular 45 that was signed on March 25.
Bersamin said agencies whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services, preparedness/response to disasters and calamities, and/or the performance of other vital services, however, shall continue with their operations.
He said the suspension of work in private companies and offices is left to the discretion of their employers.
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are regular non-working holidays in the country while Black Saturday (March 30) is a special- non-working day.
The PNP yesterday went on heightened alert to ensure the safety of the public during the Holy Week celebration, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said.
Acorda said the heightened alert status means 75 percent of the PNP’s total manpower of around 220,000 will be deployed for Holy Week-related operations.
Acorda and other government officials led yesterday’s inspection of the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange which will cater to passengers going to the provinces.
“So far, everything is (going) well and we declared heightened alert this morning, effective 12:01 a.m., meaning 75 percent of our personnel will be deployed on the streets,” said Acorda.
Acorda said the number of personnel deployed during the Holy Week may rise to as much as 180,000 if personnel from other government agencies will be counted.
He said policemen will be deployed in places of convergence like ports, bus terminals, airports, tourist spots and churches. He said K9 dogs will augment the policemen.
“With regards to the threats, there are no threats that we are receiving but nevertheless we deployed (police personnel) in accordance with our worst-case scenario,” said Acorda.
He said the PNP has not recorded any untoward incidents so far, except incidents of traffic congestion.
Acorda urged parents to ensure the safety of their children wherever they go and also urged the public to adopt security measures in their residences when they leave for the provinces.
He said people should check fire hazards in their houses to prevent incidents of fire.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it monitored 48,256 outbound passengers and 38,396 inbound passengers in ports nationwide from 6 a.m. to noon yesterday.
All PCG districts, stations and sub-stations throughout the country are currently under heightened alert “to manage the influx of port passengers” during the Holy Week.
“The seafaring public can coordinate with the PCG through its official Facebook page or the Coast Guard Public Affairs Service (0927-560-7729) for inquiries, concerns, and clarifications regarding sea travel protocols and regulations during the Holy Week,” the PCG said in a statement.
LEAVES CANCELED
Immigration personnel in all international airports have been banned from going on leave to make sure the traveling public can be served well before, during, and after the Lenten break.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the ban on leaves, which started March 15 and ends April 1, will ensure that all immigration booths at the airports are fully manned to process the large volume of passengers who are expected to enter and leave the country during the holidays.
“The prohibition applies to all employees assigned at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and all other international ports of entry and exit nationwide,” Tansingco said.
“We assure the traveling public that our counters are fully manned to process them,” he added.
The BI said that it projects around 39,000 to 44,000 arrivals per day this Holy Week and expects around 40,000 to 44,000 international departures.
“We expect the volume of departing passengers to rise by Wednesday, while the volume of arriving passengers is expected to rise by Sunday,” the BI chief said, adding he has issued orders temporarily deploying 70 additional personnel to augment the manpower at major international airports and mobile counters on standby to help process travelers.
There are more than 900 immigration personnel deployed at NAIA, Clark in Pampanga, Davao and Mactan, Cebu airports.
NO LOTTO DRAW
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office will suspend the lotto draw from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday in observance of Holy Week and will resume on April 1.
The PCSO said in its Facebook page that regular draws will be conducted from Holy Monday to Holy Wednesday. — With Victor Reyes, Jocelyn Montemayor, and Christian Oineza
