The Coast Guard in Negros Oriental is reminding commercial vessels, such as motorboats, to limit their travel to their specific and authorized routes.
Lt. Marionne Abigail Enopia, Coast Guard Station Negros Oriental commander, told the Philippine News Agency Feb. 9 that motorboats that ferry tourists, passengers, or scuba divers cannot just travel from one destination to another unless authorized and specified in their Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC).
“The CPC, issued by the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), specifies the routes for these motorboats, restricting their travel only to areas as mentioned in the document,” Enopia said.
Coast Guard personnel, upon inspection of a motorboat’s CPC, will decide whether it is allowed to travel to another destination, she added.
Enopia’s statement comes following apprehensions by some dive boat operators, who said they can no longer travel from Apo Island to Siquijor, or to Sumilon Island in Cebu.
Some operators offer “island-hopping tours” to include snorkeling, diving and beaches for tourists who visit the province.
The Coast Guard local chief said that, in this case, the motorboats may have to apply for multiple destinations in their CPCs.
Enopia added that if a motorboat operator intends to visit another destination outside of his or her CPC-authorized route, that individual must update his/her CPC with the Marina.
Meanwhile, Enopia said that shipping companies have the discretion to cancel trips at any time, even without Coast Guard approval. “They have the option to suspend trips, especially during rough weather, for the safety of their vessels and the passengers.”
The Maayo Shipping Lines Inc., which operates roll-on/roll-off (RORO) barges, announced on social media Feb. 9 that it was temporarily suspending its trips between the Sibulan Port in Negros Oriental and Liloan Port in Cebu and vice versa.
Cuadro Alas, operator of the fast crafts plying the same route, also canceled their trips, the Coast Guard chief said.
But passengers at the Sibulan port complained that they were unaware of the cancellations.
Enopia said that during inclement weather and in the absence of a Coast Guard advisory on sea travel suspension, passengers are advised to go to the Tampi port in Amlan town.
The Coast Guard only issues travel suspensions during a tropical cyclone or a gale warning, she said. ||
