SAN PEDRO CITY –– Thousands of passengers may have to spend Christmas eve in various seaports in Calabarzon after boat trips were canceled because of Tropical Storm “Ursula.”
Alex Masiglat, spokesperson of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said: “over 1,000” were already stranded at the Batangas port, while “hundreds more” in other ports in Quezon province.
The Batangas port is the gateway to the island provinces of Mindoro, Romblon, and Aklan.
The Philippine Ports Authority announced the cancellation of trips around midnight after Calabarzon and the other provinces were placed under a storm signal warning.
While most of Calabarzon experienced fair weather on Tuesday morning, “we’re expecting the effects (of Ursula) within the next 36 hours so this is just a safety measure.”
Masiglat said the DRRMC would be setting up a “mobile kitchen” at the Batangas port for passengers who may have to spend the night there.
Local disaster responders, particularly in Southern Quezon, were also put on alert in case they needed to enforce preemptive evacuations.