As we are laying out the pages of this issue, the rush to go home to the provinces is about to reach its peak. One could feel the rush in Baguio City. It was so difficult to get a cab and key points are clogged with traffic. In a day or two, the city’s usual residents would have been reduced by at least one-third or even half. But there would be no relief from the evils of over-population as more tourists would replace them due to the long weekend of five days. While Monday, Oct. 30, was not declared a holiday, the next day was. It is sandwiched between two-day non-working periods so millions would surely declare it in their personal capacity as a holiday. “It is not so bad to be absent from work or school for only a day,” they would say.
Now, the average Filipino family can allot a budget for a short family vacation. So expect the beaches, resorts, and other tourist spots to be jam-packed with people. Sagada as usual will be so full, even without fake news that it will snow there.
Many businesses will rake it in. Particularly those in the transportation sector as airlines, shipping and bus companies that would be really hard put to accommodate passengers. The cash registers of tourist related businesses will surely be busy during this period.
And so many families will travel through their own vans, SUVs, jeepneys, cars or even campers. More so that most roads now even to remote areas are now concrete and that almost all corners of this country can be reached by car. You just have to load it on ferry boats (RORO—roll on, roll off shipt) to cross the seas between the islands.
This is at the same time a boon and a bane. For there would be accidents on the road, in the air or in the high seas. For many firms will try to maximize their profits through overloading, or by over working their drivers, pilots or ship captains.
Which should be a reminder to those who will be using their private vehicles to strictly follow the often taken for granted safety tips. To mention just two, drivers (pilots and ship captains) must be fit to drive or operate and conveyance modes must be roadworthy, seaworthy or airworthy.**