PH braces for Undas 2026 rush

Government agencies have intensified preparations for the expected influx of passengers traveling to their home provinces for Undas 2026.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita Friday, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said they have been conducting inspections at bus terminals to ensure the safety of passengers.

“Ang kabilin-bilinan po ng Pangulo na ligtas at kumbinyente ang biyahe ng mga kababayan natin lalo na ngayong long weekend ng Undas,” Dizon said.

He said authorities have been conducting driver assessments and roadworthiness inspections of public utility vehicles. Several drivers and vehicles were apprehended for violations.

Dizon noted that the number of drivers who tested positive had declined compared to previous years.

Meanwhile, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) spokesperson Eunice Samonte said passenger traffic at major ports remained manageable as of Friday morning.

“Wala pa pong gaanong kahabang mga pila. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ang ating mga operasyon and wala pa po tayong naitala na mga fully-booked but lahat po may mabo-book pa silang mga biyahe,” she said.

Around 200,000 passengers were recorded on Thursday, which was lower compared to previous records, Samonte said.

Around 1.93 million passengers are expected during the Undas period or 1.55% higher than last year's figure, according to the PPA official.

Samonte encouraged passengers to book their tickets online to avoid long queues at ports.

She confirmed that ticketing booths at the Manila North Port Passenger Terminal could operate 24 hours a day following Dizon's inspection. The arrangement was already being implemented as of Friday.

At the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Pasay City, light to moderate foot traffic was observed at Terminals 1 and 3 on Friday morning, according to a report by Gabriel Gonzales on Unang Balita.

However, long queues had already formed at some airline check-in counters and immigration areas.

The New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC) expects more than 1.2 million passengers to pass through the airport from October 27 to November 4.

The Office for Transportation Security (OTS), meanwhile, canceled the vacation leaves of 2,529 security screening officers nationwide to ensure sufficient personnel for passenger screening.

Passengers were advised to arrive at the airport early.

At the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), around 936,000 passengers were recorded from October 25 to 29, according to GMA News’ Jhomer Apresto.

The terminal expects approximately 1.8 million passengers from October 31 to November 3.

As of 7 a.m. Friday, PITX has recorded around 28,000 passengers.

Security measures at the terminal have been tightened, with police personnel and canine units conducting patrols. Authorities also confiscated prohibited items, including knives, LPG tanks, cutters, bolos and lighters.

The LTO and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) also conducted random drug testing of bus drivers at PITX.

One driver assigned to a Bicol-bound bus tested positive during the initial screening out of more than 250 drivers tested. A confirmatory test was still pending.

Meanwhile, the Manila North Cemetery is expecting around 2 million visitors throughout Undas 2026, according to cemetery director Daniel Tan.

The cemetery has deployed 100 free electric tricycles to transport visitors inside its premises.

It has also prepared an online grave locator through its website, manilanorthcemetery.ph, where visitors can search for their deceased loved ones by name and use a map to locate their graves.

A helpline for reporting concerns and emergencies is also available on the website.

Tan said the cemetery has prepared 50,000 identification tags for children, up from 20,000 last year, to help prevent children from getting lost.

“Last year lahat po ng nawalang bata, nakita po kaagad,” he said.

Visiting hours are from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. until November 2. Overnight stays and parties inside the cemetery are prohibited.

Meanwhile, Manila Police District ground commander Police Lieutenant Colonel Jolly Soriano said around 100 police personnel had been deployed inside and outside the cemetery as part of the initial security measures.

Police presence will be increased from October 31 to November 2 as more visitors are expected.

Authorities have also conducted clearing operations and confiscated ladders allegedly used by individuals to enter the cemetery through unauthorized back entrances.

Soriano said no prohibited items had been confiscated as of Friday morning, which he attributed to public information campaigns.

He encouraged visitors to approach police officers if they need assistance.

“Sa bawat sulok ng Manila North Cemetery, labas at loob ng lugar na ito ay mayroon po kayong makikitang kapulisan na handang tumulong po sa inyo,” he said.

In Cebu City, police assistance desks will be established at Careta Catholic Cemetery, where visitors have started arriving early to clean and prepare the graves of their loved ones, according to a report of GMA Regional TV’s Fe Marie Dumaboc.

In Baguio City, the local police expect around 60,000 cemetery visitors during Undas, GMA Regional TV’s Jasmin Gabriel-Galban reported.

Around 800 police personnel have been deployed to various cemeteries and tourist destinations in the city, while the Police Regional Office Cordillera will deploy around 5,000 police personnel and force multipliers for its Undas security operations.

DOH under Code White Alert

The Department of Health (DOH), meanwhile, placed the country under Code White Alert from October 30 to November 3.

Under the alert, medical personnel are on active standby, while monitoring of health emergencies has been intensified.

The DOH said it is coordinating with its regional offices, hospitals, and other partner agencies to ensure prompt response to medical emergencies during the Undas period.

Authorities across the country have urged the public to follow safety guidelines and remain vigilant while traveling and visiting cemeteries. —AOL, GMA News