JAYAPURA – The Papua Provincial Government officially sent off hundreds of participants in the 2025 Christmas and New Year Free Homecoming Program at Jayapura Seaport on Wednesday (December 17, 2025). The program is part of the regional government’s efforts to provide affordable transportation services for the community, particularly low-income residents.

Papua Deputy Governor Aryoko Rumaropen stated that the free homecoming program was designed to ensure that Papuans can celebrate Christmas with their families in their hometowns. The program was implemented through coordination between the Papua Provincial Government and the Ministry of Transportation, which provided a special quota for the Papua region.

“This program responds to the needs of the Papuan community to return home. The Provincial Government, together with the Ministry of Transportation, is working to provide free homecoming services so that people can celebrate Christmas with their families,” Aryoko said.

He added that the implementation of the Christmas and New Year free homecoming program is also part of the initial agenda of the Governor and Deputy Governor’s administration for the 2025–2030 period. The regional government is committed to making similar programs a sustainable initiative during major religious holidays.

“This is part of the early steps of our administration. In the future, during other major religious holidays, the free homecoming program will be implemented again with further improvements and evaluations,” he explained.

Meanwhile, the Acting Head of the Papua Provincial Transportation Agency, Mathius Wally, explained that the total quota for the free homecoming program during the New Year period reaches approximately 16,000 people, covering both sea and land transportation modes. For the Christmas period, the quota includes thousands of passengers, with main routes to Biak and Kasonaweja.

“Public enthusiasm has been very high, especially on the main routes, which were immediately filled during the initial departures,” Wally said.

Through this program, the Papua Provincial Government hopes to ease the burden on the community while strengthening the government’s presence in ensuring safe and affordable transportation access during the Christmas and New Year period. ***