ILOILO City – Authorities in Western Visayas have placed both sea and land transport operations on heightened alert as passenger traffic surges ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays, with the Philippine Coast Guard tightening port security and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) urging motorists and operators to ensure roadworthiness to prevent accidents.
The Philippine Coast Guard District Western Visayas has raised the alert status of all its stations and sub-stations from December 20 to January 4 to manage the influx of travelers passing through major ports in Iloilo, Aklan, Guimaras, Antique, and Capiz.
The move comes as nearly 50,000 inbound and outbound passengers have already been recorded since the start of the alert period, a figure expected to climb further as the holidays peak.
To ensure passenger safety and convenience, port monitoring has been intensified, Coast Guard personnel have been strategically deployed, and the Department of Transportation’s Malasakit Help Desk has been activated in key ports and terminals to provide immediate assistance and medical support.
At least 231 frontline personnel across five stations have inspected hundreds of vessels and motorbancas.
“Guided by its unwavering commitment to public service, the District remains vigilant and proactive in safeguarding lives at sea, ensuring maritime safety and fostering confidence in sea travel so that every journey home is safe, secure and filled with peace of mind,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
As sea travel tightens, land transport regulators are likewise stepping up vigilance. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Region 6 has reminded motorists and public transport operators to double-check the condition of their vehicles and the readiness of their drivers, warning that holiday travel spikes also raise the risk of road accidents.
LTFRB-6 legal counsel and spokesperson Atty. Salvador Altura said increased trips to malls, tourist destinations, and hometowns during the holidays make strict compliance with safety standards critical.
“Subong nga holiday season kay may spike ini sa passengers, dapat ang road worthiness sang inyo salakyan ara gid kag ang readiness sang ila mga drivers kay damo nagabiyahe,” Altura said in an interview.
Altura stressed the need for operators and drivers to inspect engines, brakes, tires, steering, lights, and other vital vehicle components, while also ensuring drivers are physically fit to avoid accidents caused by fatigue.
The LTFRB, he added, will conduct random inspections along major roads to check licenses, registrations, vehicle conditions, and compliance with traffic rules such as seatbelt and helmet use, overloading bans, and prohibitions against drunk driving.
“Kami sa LTFRB I think we will be conducting random inspections kay normal na ina during holidays para mag-send message sa tanan nga motorists nga maghalong,” Altura said.
Passengers, meanwhile, were advised to plan trips early, avoid last-minute travel and rush hours, and report defective public utility vehicles to authorities to prevent tragedies.
“Kon makita ang kapaltahan sang aton operators and drivers man, indi sila mag-hesitate nga mag-complain either sa LTFRB or LTO (Land Transportation Office) kay that’s the only way nga maaksyonan naton ang mga kapaltahan rather wait for accident to happen… kung loss of life na,” Altura added.
With both ports and highways bracing for heavy traffic, authorities said strict enforcement and public cooperation will be crucial to keeping holiday journeys across Western Visayas safe and orderly./PN