Holiday commuters stranded in Mindoro port
CITY OF CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro – More than 1,000 passengers and around 35 vehicles have been stranded in the Danggay port in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, amid a rush of commuters from Luzon heading home for the holidays to Panay Island via Caticlan port in Aklan.
Apart from those in the port, there were still a number of travelers and vehicles lining up at the “marshalling area” just outside the pier area as of 10 a.m. Saturday, said Melody Garra, assistant supervisor of the Philippine Ports Authority in Roxas town.
Garra said many of these vehicles and passengers have been stranded at the Danggay port for three to four days and they expected this situation to continue until Dec. 31.
Garra explained that the number of ferries traveling between Roxas and Caticlan could not cope with the sheer volume of people and vehicles commuting between the two ports.
“There is an average of 4,000 travelers every 24 hours from Manila bound to Iloilo via Caticlan since Dec. 21 or 22. Compared to last year, there are more travelers now, maybe because of the long holiday,” she said.
These passengers from Manila are ferried by the buses in two boat trips from Batangas to the Danggay port, a 2-3-hour crossing. From Danggay, the same buses board other roll-on-roll-off boats for the 4-hour trip to Caticlan.
But because of the long queue of vehicles, some of the buses opted to return to their point of origin in Cubao in Quezon City, instead of going all the way to Caticlan. Their passengers proceed to Caticlan with the first vessel that departs, said Garra.
Garra said bus companies usually have contracts with the shipping lines that bring them to Caticlan and they have to wait for these vessels to arrive. The ships’ turnaround between Danggay and Caticlan has also been delayed by the lack of ramp in Caticlan.
“There is only one ramp (in Caticlan port) so boats from Roxas need to wait. There is also a waiting time for loading and unloading of passengers and cargoes,” Garra said.
Garra said they expected more passengers on Jan. 3 when vacationers return to Manila from Panay’s provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan and Antique.
Garra said commuters who wish to know of the condition at Danggay port before heading out could call the PPA’s hotline number, 043-289-2813.
