19 vessels suspend trips to Bohol, Leyte; 867 passengers stranded

CEBU CITY—At least 867 passengers were affected on Saturday when smaller vessels suspended their trips to Bohol and Leyte due to rough seas.

While there was no gale warning issued for Central Visayas, Cebu Coast Guard Station commander Weniel Azcuna said he advised operators of vessels with gross tonnage of not more than 250 not to sail because of the strong waves.

As of noon on Saturday, 19 vessels were recorded to have cancelled their trips in the different Cebu ports.

These include nine fastcrafts of Starcraft, Oceanjet, Weesam and Supercat in Pier 1, Cebu City, that were bound for Tubigon and Tagbilaran City in Bohol and Ormoc City in Leyte; a motorboat and a regular vessel from Pilar, Camotes, to Ormoc City; two vessels from Dumanjug town in Cebu to Guihulngan Negros Oriental; another vessel from Naga City to Samar; a fastcraft from Toledo City in Cebu to San Carlos City in Negros Occidental; and four vessels from Pier 3 and 4 in Cebu City to Masbate, Hilongos, Baybay and Palompon in Leyte.

Azcuna also asked fishermen and operators of motor bancas not to sail at this time.

“It’s not advisable for fishing boats and smaller bancas to venture out into the sea,” he added.

Pagasa Mactan weather specialist Romeo Aguirre said the gale warning was issued only over the seaboard of Eastern Visayas or Samar and Leyte provinces.

Here in Central Visayas, Aguirre said, the sea condition was also rough because of the southwest monsoon or habagat, which was intensified by Ineng.

In issuing a gale warning, the wind must in one instance move at least 50 kilometers per hour, but the weather bureau based on Mactan Island recorded the velocity at 40 kilometers per hour.

Aguirre said Cebu’s weather condition remained good with cloudy skies. He also said Ineng was expected to leave the country on Monday morning based on 11 kph movement but if it traveled faster, it may leave Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday evening. Jhunnex Napallacan/RC