JORDAN, Guimaras – The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is standing firm on its decision to cease the operation of wooden-hulled motorboats servicing the Iloilo City – Guimaras route and vice versa.
It rejected the appeal of the provincial government of Guimaras to extend the Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC) of the wooden boats which expired on Dec. 31, 2020.
“We can no longer delay the implementation of the phase-out program for wooden-hulled passenger ships under Memorandum Circular 2016-02,” read part of MARINA administrator Robert Empedrad to the provincial government of Guimaras.
For decades, wooden-hulled motorboats were the means of transport between Guimaras and Iloilo City.
Gov. Samuel Gumarin expressed concern that the limited number (10) of fiberglass and steel-hulled vessels currently servicing the Iloilo City – Guimaras route may not be enough for the thousands of people commuting daily to and from the island province and Iloilo City.
“Rest assured that MARINA will field/invite other boat operators to operate in the route should it become necessary,” said Empedrad.
He, however, believed that with two fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) boats and two steel-hulled ships, the Buenavista, Guimaras – Iloilo City route is being “sufficiently served”.
Empedrad added: “With the presence of two FRP boats, one steel-hulled ship and three roll on, roll off vessels in the Jordan, Guimaras – Iloilo City route, such can be considered as fully served (too).”
The stoppage of operation of wooden motorboats has caused long queues of passengers at the wharves in both Guimaras and Iloilo City.
Some 400 boatmen also lost their daily source of income.
On Sept. 15, 2020 the provincial government of Guimaras through the Provincial Peace and Order Council passed a resolution urging the Department of Transportation and MARINA to extend the CPC of the motorboats.
On Dec. 18, 2020 Governor Gumarin met with MARINA Region 6 director Jose Venancio Vero to also seek a CPC extension.
The provincial government allocated P3 million each to the Jordan Motorbanca Cooperative and the Buenavista Motorbanca Owners and Sailors Association for the procurement of additional modernized vessels./PN