Back from holidays: thousands stranded in Batangas, Calapan ports
01/04/2010 | 09:46 PM
Thousands of passengers remained stranded at the ports of Calapan and Batangas on Monday as the number of roll-on roll-of (RORO) vessels proved insufficient to accommodate the surge of tourists rushing to go back home from the long holidays, even as maritime authorities imposed stricter measures against overloading.
Coast Guard Calapan Station Manager Lt. Sr. Grade Algier Ricafrente told ANC in an interview that inside the Capalan port alone, an estimated 1,500 to 1,800 travelers have been stranded since Saturday. The figure was on top of the passengers, private vehicles, buses and trucks that were piling outside the port.
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According to Ricafrente, while the volume of tourists increased this year, the number of RORO vessels sailing to and from the Batangas port remained unchanged.
On top of this, the Maritime Industry Authority recently also imposed stricter directives on inter-island travel, after a series of sea mishaps during the holiday season claimed several lives. These stricter measures also contributed to the overcrowding at the posts, Ricafrente said.
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Since tragedy struck the M/V Baleno 9 last week, Ricafrente said authorities now ensure that all passengers are listed in the manifest and that lashings are in place prior to sailing. [See: Vessel sinks near Batangas island; 25 people missing]
Meanwhile, some passengers could not help but get annoyed by the problem, even as they urged the government to come up with immediate solutions.
"Kami may trabaho kami, eh, gawan nila ng paraan (We have to get back to our jobs, so they should find a way [to solve this problem])," said a stranded passenger in an interview with GMA News' Dano TingCungco.
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Ricafrente said they are now implementing “staggered" trip schedules to increase the vessels that would transport travelers to their destination. Nonetheless, he warned that given the volume of tourists, the government might not be able to resolve the problem until Thursday, or three to four days from now.
Ricafrente said they have set a Thursday deadline to solve this crowding problem, “that all these people currently stranded will be able to board RORO vessels."
Meanwhile, he said that Calapan city officials are already seeking ways to provide assistance to stranded passengers.
Oriental Mindoro Governor Arnan Panaligan likewise instructed barangay officials to allow the travelers to use the barangay halls to charge their cell phones and as temporary places to rest. – Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV
Coast Guard Calapan Station Manager Lt. Sr. Grade Algier Ricafrente told ANC in an interview that inside the Capalan port alone, an estimated 1,500 to 1,800 travelers have been stranded since Saturday. The figure was on top of the passengers, private vehicles, buses and trucks that were piling outside the port.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV
According to Ricafrente, while the volume of tourists increased this year, the number of RORO vessels sailing to and from the Batangas port remained unchanged.
On top of this, the Maritime Industry Authority recently also imposed stricter directives on inter-island travel, after a series of sea mishaps during the holiday season claimed several lives. These stricter measures also contributed to the overcrowding at the posts, Ricafrente said.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV
Since tragedy struck the M/V Baleno 9 last week, Ricafrente said authorities now ensure that all passengers are listed in the manifest and that lashings are in place prior to sailing. [See: Vessel sinks near Batangas island; 25 people missing]
Meanwhile, some passengers could not help but get annoyed by the problem, even as they urged the government to come up with immediate solutions.
"Kami may trabaho kami, eh, gawan nila ng paraan (We have to get back to our jobs, so they should find a way [to solve this problem])," said a stranded passenger in an interview with GMA News' Dano TingCungco.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV
Ricafrente said they are now implementing “staggered" trip schedules to increase the vessels that would transport travelers to their destination. Nonetheless, he warned that given the volume of tourists, the government might not be able to resolve the problem until Thursday, or three to four days from now.
Ricafrente said they have set a Thursday deadline to solve this crowding problem, “that all these people currently stranded will be able to board RORO vessels."
Meanwhile, he said that Calapan city officials are already seeking ways to provide assistance to stranded passengers.
Oriental Mindoro Governor Arnan Panaligan likewise instructed barangay officials to allow the travelers to use the barangay halls to charge their cell phones and as temporary places to rest. – Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV
