Christmas exodus begins

CEBU CITY – People lining up for more than six hours just to get a boat ticket on their way to their provinces. Buses jam-packed with passengers eager to reach their hometowns. The exodus to the provinces for the Christmas holidays has begun Tuesday afternoon.
 
Tina Labrador, who was one of the hundreds of passengers lining up to get a boat ticket just outside a shipping line office in Pier 3, Cebu City, said she had been in the line since 12 noon yesterday. As of 2 pm, Labrador still has not reached the counter to get her ticket for Hilongos, Leyte.    
 
Hundreds of people eager to go to their respective towns and provinces have began crowding the port area and the bus terminals here, as thousands more are expected to crowd the said places this afternoon (Wednesday) as government offices and other private businesses have declared a half day holiday.
 
The Cebu Coast Guard has enforced strict monitoring of vessels leaving the ports of Cebu to ensure that no vessel will be overloaded with passengers. Passengers were advised to be at the pier area at least two hours before their scheduled trip because of the stringent security measures being enforced by authorities.
 
“We are doing this for the safety of everyone. We will not allow any vessel to sail if it is overloaded with passengers,” said William Isaga of the Cebu Coast Guard.
 
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has started fielding policemen in various public places here, including bus terminals, sea ports, malls, and churches to avert possible violence and untoward incidents.
 
PRO 7 Director Ronald Roderos said no policeman from Central Visayas was allowed to file a leave of absence or vacation during the Christmas season to ensure that the PRO 7 is in full force guarding the public.
 
Meanwhile, Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador issued similar reminders for law enforcers to avoid getting into trouble during the holidays.
 
Comendador, stressed the police force’s responsibility to uphold the government’s “Iwas Paputok” campaign by preventing indiscriminate firing.
 
“We have to inculcate the importance of the value of life,” he said. #