‘ALLOW PUMP BOATS TO SAIL’: Transport trauma in Guimaras continues

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo, Gerome Dalipe, and Jennifer P. Rendon

THE weeklong suspension of motor boat trips since the tragic Iloilo Strait incident is taking a toll on thousands of Guimarasnons working and studying in Iloilo City.

Since the Iloilo Strait tragedy last Aug 3, 2019, which involved the capsizing of three motor boats and leaving 31 people dead, all operations of motor boats have been suspended by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Two Roll-on/Roll-off (RORO) vessels of Montenegro Shipping Lines Inc. and Tri-Star Megalink Corp. and fast-craft vessels by Ocean Fast Ferries Inc. and 2GO Group Inc. are the only modes of transportation that were allowed to ferry passengers from Iloilo to Guimaras and vice-versa.

As a result, Guimaras residents, who are mostly students and employees working in Iloilo, are suffering and waiting in long lines at the Jordan RORO Wharf in Guimaras and the fast craft and RORO terminals in Lapuz, Iloilo City.

Some of them have already been absent from their classes and work for several days now.

Mark Braian Ledesma, 21, of Buenavista Guimaras has just started working in Iloilo City and has been used to using motor boats as his main transport.

But now, he is among the thousands of commuters who are waiting in vain to board the RORO and fast craft vessels.

He told Daily Guardian that he has been waiting in line for ten hours now.

Ledesma expressed his frustration with the long queue, usually lasting hours.

“Dako na nainvest namon, kapoy kag oras kag loss of income especially sa gaobra,” he lamented.

Like other commuters, Ledesma thinks that the best solution would be to resume the operations of the motor boats.

“Ang solusyon lang di ibalik ang byahe sang pump boat. Indi pwede nga permanente na lang nga amo ni ang plastada,” he said.

 

ALLOWED TO SAIL BUT…

On Monday, the PCG allowed the crew of motor boats to ply from Iloilo-Guimaras and vice versa, but they were banned from carrying passengers.

In a media advisory signed by Captain Erlinda Benliro, Coast Guard Station-Iloilo acting commander, stressed that only motor bancas without passengers will be allowed.

The order was silent on the transport of cargoes and other goods, especially the perishable kind.

The advisory addressed to all motor bancas plying the Iloilo to Guimaras ruote said, “as of 5:00 a.m. of Aug. 12, 2019, the gale warning issued by PAGASA was lifted in Iloilo and Guimaras.”

However, citing Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Advisory No. 2019-13 Series of 2019 issued on Aug. 5, 2019, “motorboats carrying passengers and operating within the Iloilo-Guimaras route and vice versa is temporarily suspended.”

But Benliro clarified that cargoes will be allowed transport since the Marina order only covers passengers.

“So, as long as wala pong passengers, allowed pong bumiyahe ang mga motorbancas plying Iloilo – Guimaras route and vice versa,” she said.

The order also states that RORO and fast craft passenger vessels from Lapuz Wharf (Iloilo bound) to Jordan Wharf in Guimaras, vice versa, are on regular trips.

Currently, Benliro said there are three RORO and fast crafts plying the said route.

An additional fast craft might augment the trip starting today, she said.

As of late Monday afternoon, Governor Samuel Gumarin of Guimaras said he did not read the order of PCG allowing stranded motor bancas to sail.

But he said he would talk to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to allow cargoes, fish and other perishable goods, and emergency patients to be transported by pump boats.

 

APPEAL

Governor Samuel Gumarin also officially appealed to President Rodrigo R. Duterte to allow the operations of motor boats on Guimaras to Iloilo line.

In his official statement, Gumarin said the economy and the residents have been drastically affected by the suspension of motor boat operations.

Despite vessel augmentation from the private sector, Gumarin lamented that the “province is still on the cusp of a significant and apparent transportation disruption”.

“A case of the stoppage of the flow of trade days after the incident also affected the market and food supply. Addressed through mobility, vessel loading prioritization, continued price control monitoring and business sector partnership, prices of goods are still increasing. With the semi-isolation of the island, we are requesting to lift of the suspension for the daily system in the island to be stabilized,” the official statement said.

Gumarin said that Guimarasnons and their economy have been affected by the one-week suspension of sea travel from and to Iloilo and Guimaras.

He said he would ask for the lifting of the suspension and would ask the Coast Guard to implement strict guidelines as fast crafts and RORO vessels are not enough to accommodate people going in and out of Guimaras.

Yesterday, half a kilometer long of passengers queued at Jordan Wharf to catch a ride to Iloilo.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Gumarin said they understand the decision of the cancellation of motor banca trips while the investigation and policy enhancement are ongoing for the security and safety of the riding public.

The governor said they also favor modernization of their vessels but it should not result in their semi-isolation.

“The province is strongly in favor of the modernization of the vessels as it promotes security and safety of the riding public as a whole, but the immediate transition will have negative effects particularly to all the people depending their livelihood on the daily operations of the motorbanca cooperatives. While this transition is ongoing, the return of the normal operations of the motor bancas under strict regulations from the Philippine Coast Guard, is requested of the President,” he added.

The Maritime Industry Authority suspended the certificates of convenience (CPC) of all motor bancas carrying passengers and operating within the Iloilo- Guimaras route and vice versa following the capsizing of three motor bancas on Aug 3 that claimed 31 lives.

The Marina order said the suspension of all CPCs was to give way for them “to conduct a thorough safety standards assessment and evaluation in relation to the full implementation of MARINA Circular No. 2016-02 entitled Revised Rules on the Phase Out of Wooden-Hulled Ships Carrying Passengers In Domestic Shipping.”

The order signed by Vice Admiral Narciso Vingson Jr., Marina officer-in-charge, states that “operations of affected motorboats/motorbancas are likewise in the meantime suspended until such time that this Authority has ensured that all safety concerns of motorboats/motorbancas are properly addressed.”