MANILA — Dozens of trips going to Bicol have been delayed in recent days due to the heavy traffic caused by the damaged Andaya Highway in Camarines Sur, the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) management said Friday.

PITX spokesperson Jason Salvador said 62 out of 113 bus trips were delayed on Thursday. At least 10 more trips were delayed on Friday due to late turnaround.

Over 2,000 passengers were affected.

PASSENGERS BRAVE TRAFFIC TO WAIT FOR DELAYED BUSES

“Para sa mga biyahe nating tatawid ng Matnog papuntang Leyte, Visayas region, Mindanao, yung iba dyan dumadaan din sa area ng ka-Bicolan kaya nagkakaroon ng konting challenge dyan,” he added.

DPWH Bicol says repairs underway on damaged Andaya Highway

(Some of the buses crossing from Matnog to Leyte, to the Visayas and Mindanao, pass through Bicol, so that is a challenge for them too)

Laine Barrion was among those affected. She and her husband were supposed to leave at 6 p.m. but she was told that the bus they had tickets on would only be arriving between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

“Hassle. Kahit na pilitin mo silang on-time, kung wala namang talagang sasakyan, so wala tayong magagawa. Kahit ayaw naming intindihin, iintindihin na lang namin,” said Barrion.

(It's a hassle. Even if you make an effort to be here on time, the bus isn't here. There's nothing we can do, so we have no choice but to understand)

Rosalie Collantes’ trip at 4:30 p.m. was also pushed back by an hour.

She said she was disappointed that she would have to wait longer for her bus after already getting stuck in traffic on the way to PITX.

“Siyempre dismayado kasi nagmadali na ‘kong umalis tapos pagdating dito delayed pa rin,” she said.

(Of course, I'm dismayed because I left early to get here and the bus is delayed)

Number coding suspended on Christmas, New Year

STANDBY UNITS READY

But Salvador assured travelers that if needed, PITX and its stakeholders are prepared to deploy additional bus units that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board can issue special permits for.

Tickets were also running out for airconditioned buses headed to or passing through the Bicol region.

That’s why Bien Delista and her family settled for an ordinary bus despite the hours-long trip. She said they will just have to depend on their mini electric fan.

“No choice na po e. Pero tiis-tiis lang, makauwi lang ngayong bakasyon para sa pamilya,” she said.

(We have no choice. We'll just bear it so we can go home to our family)

The traffic problem in Camarines Sur coincided with the holiday exodus at PITX.

Foot traffic on Friday alone reached nearly 200,000.

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