After two years, the Land Transportation and Franchising Board (LTFRB) is once again bombarded with applications for special permits for buses traveling to and from the provinces for the long holiday this All Souls' Day or Undas.

The regulatory board sees this as a good sign that the high passenger confidence in traveling has returned, but the non-observance of health and safety protocols could also occur.

Metro Manila and other provinces in the Philippines remain under COVID-19 Alert Level 1.

"Ang challenge sa LTFRB nito is 'yung pag-monitor ng pag-implement ng health protocols," LTFRB Technical Division Chief Joel Bolano said.

(Monitoring how bus companies will implement health protocols remains a challenge for LTFRB.)

The agency has removed the one-seat-apart policy, as long as passengers are wearing their masks properly.

Bolano said they will conduct surprise inspections in terminal hubs before November 1.

One of the biggest bus terminals, the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), accommodates around 100,000 passengers daily.

• Mga pasahero sa PITX ngayong Undas, inaasahang aabot sa 150,000

According to PITX Corporate Affairs and Government Relations Jason Salvador, they have added more workers in preparation for the peak season.

Passengers like Lady Libarte and Lourdes Hilario from Occidental Mindoro traveled two weeks before All Soul's Day.

Other passengers said that as early as this week, it is difficult to find good seats.

The Department of Transportation maintains its travel policy that masks should be worn at all times inside terminal hubs and transport units, except when eating.

• Milyon-milyon aasahang pupunta sa mga sementeryo ngayong Undas 2022

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