Fewer people left Metro on Holy Week break, says QC police

FEWER passengers left Metro Manila during the Holy Week break this year, at least based on figures gathered by the police from the Araneta bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City, which services people bound for the Bicol region and Samar province.

According to Cubao station commander Supt. Rolando Balasabas, passenger volume at the otherwise busy terminal was around 10 percent lower this year compared to 2015.

For instance, passengers from Palm Sunday to Good Friday this year totaled 41,417 as compared to 48,839 in 2015, according to figures collated by Balasabas and furnished to the Inquirer.

“I think it might have to do with Holy Week being set early this year. Some schools have yet to hold graduation [exercises]. Students may have found it too expensive to shuttle back and forth from Metro Manila and their respective provinces,” he said.

He added that the upcoming elections may have been another factor with passengers opting to go home to their provinces in May instead of Holy Week to save on fare money.

There was an upside to the low figures as far as the police were concerned. Balasabas said that since Palm Sunday, there have been no incidents of security problems or confiscation of banned materials at the Araneta Center bus terminal. – Jaymee T. Gamil