Hundreds of passengers stranded in Cebu, Tagbilaran

CEBU CITY—Hundreds of passengers were stranded in Cebu and Tagbilaran Cities on Thursday when the Philippine Coast Guard suspended sea voyage of small seacraft due to gale warning signal issued by the weather bureau.

Thirty-four vessels, including fastcraft and passenger motorbancas, were not allowed to sail in Cebu.

These vessels were mostly bound for Bohol.

Six vessels were also not allowed to leave at the ports of Tagbilaran City, Ubay town and Tubigon town—all in Bohol—by the Coast Guard.

Hundreds of passengers heading to Cebu, Siquijor and Dumaguete City had their tickets refunded.

The Coast Guard both in Cebu and Bohol suspended the sea voyage for vessels below 250 gross tonnage after the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) issued a gale warning on Thursday.

“All trips of vessels below 250 gross tonnage are temporarily suspended until Pagasa lifts the gale warning,” said Cebu Coast Guard Commander Weniel Azcuna.

Romeo Aguirre, Pagasa Mactan weather specialist, said the gale warning was an offshoot of the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat due to Typhoon “Falcon.”

The gale force wind may reach to 52 kilometers per hour in one instance, which may endanger the small vessels. The waves will range between 3.4 meters and 4.5 meters.

“Fishing boat and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea while large sea vessels are alerted against big waves . Strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas,” the gale warning stated.