FILIPINOS from all over the world started arriving in Manila five days before Christmas, with those living abroad and migrant workers making up the majority.
All airport terminals in Manila were busy coping with the arrivals who were expected to spend the holidays here, officials said.
The new arrivals started crowding the airport even as transport authorities said they will inspect the bus terminals in Metro Manila starting today, Monday, as a result of the expected surge in the number of passengers traveling to their provinces for the holidays.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said a team will be inspecting the bus terminals from Dec. 21 to 24 and Dec. 28 to 30.
All provincial buses with terminals in Quezon City, Pasay City and Sampaloc in Manila will be inspected and the units found to be not roadworthy will be grounded, the board said.
It said a team will also be sent to the taxi bays in the shopping malls to randomly check on the taxi drivers turning down passengers.
The Manila International Airport Authority said 575,796 Filipinos came home in December last year, but that number was expected to be surpassed this year
The agency said among those expected to arrive this holiday season were hundreds of Filipinos working in Afghanistan. With PNA