They were among the first to come after the storm to help and would likely be the last to go.
But government red tape had delayed their response, too.
While lack of government presence in calamity-stricken areas was an issue after the onslaught of Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferries, in coordination with the Philippine Red Cross, provided a glimmer of hope to survivors.
On Nov. 15, MV Starlite Navigator’s appearance on the horizon of the devastated coastal town of Guiuan, Samar province, was met with jubilation by villagers who were already on the verge of hopelessness when the ship arrived.
“We are saved. We thought we have been forgotten already,” cried out people in the Samar town that was the first to be hit by Yolanda. The ship’s crew unloaded 300 tons of food, bottled water, medicines, generator sets, water filtration systems and solar lighting, among others.
After unloading its cargo, MV Starlite Navigator took in about 300 people who wanted to escape the gloom and despair of Guiuan to be with relatives in Cebu province.
Arriving in Cebu the next day, the Ro-Ro vessel wasted no time in loading more relief supplies and brought these to Tacloban City.
On Sunday, MV Starlite Jupiter made similar mercy trips carrying relief stocks and search and rescue personnel to Kulasi, Roxas, and Isabel, Leyte.
According to Starlite Ferries vice president Patricia Cusi-Ramos, ferries can provide quick response to devastated coastal towns whenever airports are in bad shape.
Ramos said ferries could have shipped more badly needed relief stocks immediately after the storm had they not waited for permits from maritime authorities as their franchise is for travel between Roxas and Aklan only.
Ramos said a law should be passed to allow sea, air and land transport operators to immediately help during national emergencies without being bogged down by technical requirements like permits.