Culture & Entertainment · Philippines Bureau
Elderly passenger stranded at Manila North Port amid ticketing delays
A 59-year-old woman spent an entire night outside Manila North Port after failing to secure immediate passage to Bacolod due to insufficient staffing. The passenger was forced to wait in the port area for three days until her scheduled departure.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — An elderly passenger endured an unscheduled overnight stay outside Manila North Port in Tondo after encountering difficulties in purchasing tickets for her voyage, highlighting potential gaps in port operations.
Leonila Castillanes, 59, arrived at the terminal last Tuesday seeking the earliest available passage to Bacolod but was unable to complete her transaction due to inadequate ticketing personnel. Unable to secure accommodation or finalize her booking immediately, she remained in the port vicinity throughout the night.
The situation extended beyond the initial overnight ordeal. Castillanes was compelled to remain in the port area for two additional days, eventually boarding her scheduled vessel on Thursday evening. Her three-day wait underscores concerns about the port's capacity to serve passengers efficiently during off-hours.
The incident raises questions about staffing protocols and passenger services at one of Metro Manila's major maritime terminals. Port authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the circumstances or measures being considered to prevent similar occurrences.