Metro Manila, Philippines – Passenger traffic at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) is projected to peak on Friday, Oct. 30, terminal management announced on Wednesday, Oct. 28.
PITX Senior Corporate Affairs Officer Kolyn Calbasa said the anticipated surge will stem from commuters traveling early and others purchasing tickets in advance ahead of the weekend.
“Expect na [ng commuters na] maraming kasabay sa pagbili ng ticket lalo na sa Friday, dahil ito ang araw na inaasahan nating dagsaan ng karamihan,” Calbasa said.
(Translation: Commuters should expect large crowds when buying tickets, especially on Friday, as that is when we anticipate the biggest influx of travelers.)
To ease long queues, Calbasa said terminal operations are monitoring bus availability to ensure quicker turnaround times. However, traffic congestion on surrounding access roads could still delay inbound and outbound trips.
A “Malasakit” help desk has also been set up near the terminal entrance to assist passengers with travel inquiries and emergency concerns.
Ground handling and security teams remain on heightened alert, coordinating closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Special Action and Intelligence Committee for Transportation (SAICT), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to maintain crowd control inside and outside the facility.
On Monday, Oct. 26, the MMDA and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) conducted random drug tests for bus drivers at the terminal.
One of the 32 drivers tested yielded a positive result.
MMDA Chairperson Romando “Don” Artes said the driver was immediately grounded from duty pending confirmatory test results.
PITX serves an average of 180,000 commuters daily. During last year’s Undas, daily foot traffic hovered around 177,000 passengers—closely tracking normal weekday volumes.
Pablo Gomez, a conductor on the Cavite route, echoed this outlook, noting that passenger volumes during the holiday season generally mirror regular runs.
“Walang pinagkaiba sa normal na araw,” he said. “Mas marami lang nang kaunti sa normal.”
Buses plying the Cavite–PITX route run from 3:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., with designated “rescue buses” deployed for late-night trips to accommodate stranded passengers heading to Cavite City. Gomez said the same operational contingency will remain in place throughout the holiday break.
Terminal data showed that as of Tuesday, Oct. 27—three days ahead of the projected rush—PITX recorded 189,071 passengers.
