Coast Guard allows large interisland vessels to sail in 3 Cebu routes

MANILA, Philippines—Noting improved sea conditions in some parts of the Visayas and northern Mindanao, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has allowed interisland vessels weighing over 250 gross tons to sail in at least three routes.

Commander Armand Balilo, the PCG spokesman, said on Monday, they had given the go-ahead to ships plying the following routes: Cebu-Dumaguete, Cebu-Tagbilaran and Cebu-Cagayan de Oro.

However, the Cebu-Ormoc route, as well as all Bicol routes, were “still negative due to gale warnings” issued by the state weather bureau, he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

In a text message, Balilo also reported that “not a single maritime incident” has been reported to the Department of Transportation and Communications-attached command since Saturday when typhoon “Ruby” (Hagupit) made landfall in Eastern Visayas.

Meanwhile, the number of stranded ship passengers, interisland vessels and rolling cargoes in various ports in Luzon and the Visayas stood at 2,508, 89 and 686, respectively.

An undisclosed number of smaller ships and motor boats were also taking shelter in these ports, said the PCG.

The stranded passengers include 340 in Manila; 346 in Batangas, Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro; 351 in Albay and Sorsogon; and 392 in Leyte and Samar, among others.

Vice Admiral Rodolfo Isorena, the PCG commandant, earlier placed on heightened alert all Coast Guard units in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog, Bicol and Eastern Visayas in preparation for the onslaught of the storm.

He also directed the PCG to put their emergency response teams on standby, stressing these “should be ready for dispatch upon the issuance of typhoon signals.”