PPA Projects 174,000 Passengers at Panay-Guimaras Ports

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Philippine Ports Authority is projecting a surge in passenger traffic at seaports in Panay and Guimaras during Holy Week, with an estimated 174,000 travelers expected.

The PPA said this influx positions ports in Panay and Guimaras as the third busiest in the country during the Holy Week exodus, following Mindoro and Batangas.

The increase is largely due to pilgrims and tourists visiting Guimaras for various Holy Week celebrations across its towns.

Thousands of devotees annually travel to the island to observe traditions such as the Pagtaltal sa Guimaras, a Passion of Christ reenactment involving a 1.7-kilometer procession from the town plaza to a mountain summit, passing the 14 Stations of the Cross.

Other major observances include Pamalandong sa Tamborong in San Lorenzo and the Worship Festival in Buenavista, featuring Palm Sunday processions.

The Balaan Bukid in Jordan is also a key pilgrimage destination, where devotees climb to a summit chapel and a giant white cross, stopping at 14 mini-altars along the way.

Travel between Iloilo and Guimaras will continue uninterrupted this Holy Week, with modernized passenger boats maintaining regular operations to accommodate returning residents and religious travelers.

The Iloilo–Jordan route will operate from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Holy Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Good Friday.

Meanwhile, modernized boats on the Iloilo–Buenavista route will follow their regular daily schedule throughout the observance.

All routes are expected to return to full normal operations by Black Saturday, April 19.

Authorities are advising passengers to arrive early at ports and follow safety protocols, as crowd volume is expected to remain high through the weekend.

To manage the anticipated volume, the Iloilo City government has deployed more than 400 personnel from the Transportation and Traffic Management Office and 300 from the Public Order and Safety Management Office.

Personnel are assigned to strategic locations including ports, terminals, churches and procession routes.

Transportation chief Ret. Col. Uldarico Garbanzos said teams are working rotating shifts starting at 3 a.m. to assist passengers and churchgoers.

A one-way traffic scheme will be implemented in Barangay Libertad, Lapuz, from April 17 to 20 to avoid congestion near the Iloilo–Bacolod Fast Craft Terminal and the Lapuz RoRo Port.

Vehicles from Muelle Loney must reroute through the Quirino-Lopez Bridge, while only vehicles from Lapuz can access the direct road to the terminal.

Cargo trucks will be allowed to queue only from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., while four-wheeled vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles will be prioritized during peak hours.

As of April 16, the Coast Guard Western Visayas reported 9,390 outbound and 8,747 inbound passengers across all seaports in the region.

To ensure safety and smooth operations, the regional coast guard deployed 619 personnel across five stations.

They also inspected 80 vessels and 106 motorbancas during a six-hour monitoring period.