By Francis Allan L. Angelo
Local government units and motorboat operators in Guimaras will continue to seek help from the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) and other national government officials to ease the inconvenience caused by the expiration of the franchises of wooden-hulled pump boats last year.
Governor Samuel Gumarin admitted that the current number of steel- and fiberglass-hulled motorboats servicing the Jordan and Buenavista-Iloilo City lines (vice versa) are not enough to ferry thousands of Guimarasnons.
On Monday, thousands of passengers in the Jordan and Buenavista wharfs and the roll on-roll off port also in Jordan waited for hours to get a ride to Iloilo City.
The same congestion was also observed at the Parola wharf in Iloilo City for Guimaras-bound passengers.
As of now, Buenavista passengers ride on two fiberglass-hulled boats, 2 steel-hulled boats, and a fast craft operated by Yohan Express.
In Jordan, passengers can take a ride on two fiberglass boats and another Yohan fast craft aside from two RORO ships that operate out of Lapuz, Iloilo City.
Another modern boat is set to operate within the week after inspection by the Philippine Coast Guard.
The fare for each trip on the modern boats is Php50 per passenger.
Citing previous surveys, Gumarin said 20,000 to 25,000 Guimaras residents travel every day via pump boats. More than 12,000 are from Jordan while Buenavista accounts for 8,000 to 10,000 passengers daily.
Gumarin said the local government units of Buenavista and Jordan provided tents and seats at the wharf to maintain physical distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic and provide comfort to the passengers while waiting for the boats.
The governor said they continue to monitor the situation so they can make their next move, including the possible extension of the franchises of wooden motor bancas to cater to travelers.
Fernando Enalpe, Chairman of the Board of the Jordan Motorbanca Cooperative, said they will seek help from Marina-6 Regional Director Jose Venancio Vero regarding the congestion at the wharfs and ports.
Enalpe told Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo that they will appeal to Marina to temporarily allow wooden boats to ferry the passengers until the ideal number of modernized boats can operate.
He said they need at least six modern and bigger boats to accommodate the 5,000 travelers to and from the Jordan line alone.
The Certificate of Public Convenience of 47 wooden-hulled motorbancas expired on December 31, 2020 with the implementation of the modernization of sea travel that started three to four years ago.
30 wooden-hulled motor bancas served the Buenavista-Iloilo City line while 17 others were on the Jordan-Iloilo City route.
The modernization became imperative during the Iloilo Strait tragedy in August 2019 which led to the deaths of several passengers on three ill-fated motorboats.
Meanwhile, Marina-6 Director Vero said authorities have managed the influx of passengers at the RORO ship wharf in Lapuz, Iloilo City following the congestion last January 2, 2020, or two days after the old boats stopped operating.
Passengers to and from Guimaras posted photos of the congested wharfs and ports and expressed their exasperation as some of them waited for hours to get a ride.
The congestion also flouted physical distancing rules in public places to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Worse, minimum wage earners are complaining of the Php50 fare per ride with the operation of the modern motorboats.
