PPA: 6.1 million sea travelers recorded this holiday season

A total of 6.1 million passengers utilized the country's seaports during the holiday season, marking the highest number of sea travelers recorded, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

This figure, covering the period from December 15, 2025, to January 5, 2026, represents a 22 percent increase compared to the 4.7 million passengers served in 2024.

The PPA identified Panay/Guimaras, Batangas, Mindoro, Bohol, and Negros Oriental/Siquijor as the top five port management offices that handled the majority of these passengers.

On January 4, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported 250,505 outbound and 197,291 inbound passengers nationwide.

The PCG had placed all its offices on heightened alert from December 20 to January 4 to manage the influx of travelers.

Separately, approximately 800,000 passengers traveled through 44 Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) airports between December 20, 2025, and January 1, 2026.

CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio noted a consistent annual increase of about seven to 10% in passenger numbers, with no significant incidents reported at the nation's airports since December 20.