Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 6) — Several bus stations in Cubao, Quezon City remain busy on Maundy Thursday, as passengers continue to line up for trips bound for the provinces.
CNN Philippines saw long queues at the terminals of JAC Liner, Victory Liner and Five Star from morning until mid-afternoon.
Several passengers said work prevented them from traveling on Wednesday.
Giselle Mirambel said she was determined to get to Nueva Ecija even if she had been waiting in line with her four-month-old baby for five long hours.
“Kanina pa kami nakapila rito. Malapit na rin ‘yan kumpara sa pila namin kanina,” she said, adding that she and her companions arrived at the terminal at 5 a.m.
[Translation: We’ve been queuing here for a while. We’re closer compared to our position in line earlier.]
Gualberto Espiritu Jr. said he arrived early at the Victory Liner terminal in the hopes of becoming a chance passenger on a bus departing earlier than the 4 p.m. trip he booked in advance.
“Akala namin may chance na mabago ‘yung oras,” he said. “Kaso hindi pala. Nasusunod ‘yung oras na binook mo.”
[Translation: We thought there was a chance that we could change our schedule. Although, that is not the case — the time you booked is the one being followed.]
Tents manned by personnel of the Philippine National Police and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority were seen in a number of bus terminals to assist passengers. The Philippine Red Cross also put up first aid stations.
PBGen. Raul Bargamento, head of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG), made the rounds of bus stations in Metro Manila on Thursday.
He said they have not yet recorded any incidents involving public utility vehicles (PUVs) that resulted in deaths or injuries.
However, he said the HPG has impounded around 100 “colorum” PUVs since Palm Sunday for unauthorized operations.
“Marami nang hinuli ang HPG na colorum, especially yung nagbi-biyahe going to the provinces,” Bargamento told reporters during an inspection of a bus terminal in Cubao.
[Translation: HPG has caught a lot of colorum vehicles, especially those going to the provinces.]
“We gave orders sa regional chiefs sa probinsiya na hulihin ang colorum,” he added. “Just in case madisgrasya ‘yan, walang insurance ang mga pasahero.”
[Translation: We gave orders to the provincial regional chiefs to seize colorum PUVS. In case of an accident, passengers will not have any insurance.]
Bargamento said 90% of HPG’s personnel will be on the field for the rest of the Holy Week break.
