Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Some travelers are still catching their trips at the Araneta Central bus terminal in Quezon City and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) to head back to their hometowns on Monday (January 4) after the holiday break.
As early as 5 a.m., commuters in Cubao, Quezon City experienced traffic build up mainly due to people crowding the Araneta Central bus terminal as they make their way home to their respective provinces.
January 4 is the first working day of the year and many travelers are still booking trips to the Bicol and Visayas regions, with some even staying overnight to make sure they get the seats they have reserved.
Terminal officials expect more travelers to go back to their hometowns in the coming days.
They also expect more buses to return to Manila from the south, which could mean more seats for passengers.
Officials reported that there is currently no problem with the ticket supply.
NAIA crowd back to normal
Meanwhile, at the NAIA, the January 4 (Monday) crowd is now more manageable compared to the past few days.
There are fewer passengers and there are no more long lines outside the departure area. Check-in counters are also not as crowded.
Airport authorities say that most of the passengers have already left over the weekend.
About 50,000 departures and another 50,000 arrivals are expected on Monday in all four NAIA terminals, which is the number of passengers on a normal day.
Over the holidays, airport authorities saw an increase in departures and arrivals with the number of passengers ranging from 100,000 to 120,000.
Help desks are still in place at the airport for those still leaving today (January 4).
CNN Philippines’ Rex Remitio and Ivy Saunar contributed to this report.
