Travel time for buses bound for Bicol from the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) increased by one to two hours on Friday due to the surge of passengers leaving Metro Manila for the long weekend and to observe Undas 2025.

According to a report by RH Jecelle Ricafort on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, ticket dispatchers said that trips to Bulan, Sorsogon, which normally take around 12 hours, now last up to 14 hours.

Meanwhile, Naga-bound buses recorded an increase from the usual 9 hours to around 10 hours of travel time.

Despite the delays, bus companies reported that turnaround times for Bicol routes remain normal, ensuring that return trips to PITX for new passengers are not significantly affected.

However, trips to Baguio City experienced turnaround delays yesterday due to heavy traffic along major highways. Routes that typically take around 5 to 6 hours stretched to 7 to 8 hours. As of Friday, operators said travel times have returned to normal schedules.

Meanwhile, bus trips to Eastern Samar remain manageable, still averaging 24 hours of total travel time, including the usual congestion at Matnog Port.

Passenger volume at PITX continues to swell, with around 28,000 commuters recorded as of Friday morning alone.

According to PITX Senior Corporate Affairs Officer Kolyn Calbasa, over 749,000 passengers have passed through the terminal since October 27, and the figure is expected to climb to more than 2.1 million by the end of the travel period.

From October 21 to November 5, the PITX is expecting to accommodate over 2.1 million passengers — a 20% increase compared to the usual volume of commuters on regular days.