In anticipation of the long weekend for the patriotic holidays, the National Transport Terminal of Albrook is experiencing a notable increase in passenger flow to the interior of the country. This movement, which, according to terminal spokespeople, has been constantly increasing since noon on Friday, marks the beginning of one of the most significant displacements of the year, driven by the commemoration of November 2, 3, and 4—dates that celebrate national identity and remember loved ones who have passed away. Lines of travelers, luggage, children with flags, and street vendors formed the usual colorful scene that repeats every year, when thousands of Panamanians take the holiday to reconnect with their roots and their loved ones. Among them is Rosa Mendoza, a capitalina traveling to Chitré with visible emotion on her face. "I'm going to see my nephews who will be marching in the patriotic holidays; they have been practicing for weeks and I couldn't miss that moment," she commented while waiting for her bus to depart. "These dates fill me with pride."
"She loved the patriotic holidays, she said that in November the soul dresses in the flag," she expressed in a slow voice, while holding a bouquet of flowers wrapped in plastic. "For me, it's a way to pay tribute and thank her for everything I am," she stated. A few meters away, among laughter and backpacks, Camila Rodríguez, a 21-year-old university student, was preparing for her first solo trip to the interior. With a flag draped over her shoulders and a painted sombrero given to her by her grandfather, she said she felt part of something bigger. "I want to experience the patriotic holidays in Las Tablas. I always saw them on TV, but now I want to feel them there, with the people, with the tamborito and the pride of being Panamanian," she said. "In a country with so many problems, these dates remind us of what still unites us," she highlighted with a positive look towards the future.
According to sources from the terminal's administration, it is expected that more than 100,000 people will travel during the weekend, with the most popular destinations being the provinces of Herrera, Los Santos, Veraguas, and Chiriquí. The increase in demand has led to reinforcing the operation of routes with additional buses and extended schedules. Authorities recommend that users travel with time, secure their belongings, and remain calm in the face of the high passenger flow that will continue until Monday, November 3.
As the buses move away from the city, the lights of the terminal merge with the lights of hope. Some depart to celebrate independence; others to reunite with their loved ones or to lay flowers on a tomb. In both cases, the feeling is the same: a deep love for the homeland and for those who are no longer here, united by the red, white, and blue that waves in the heart of every Panamanian.
