Over 500 passengers were stranded in the ports of Cebu after the Philippine Coast Guard cancelled the trips for smaller vessels.
Agapito Bibat, Philippine Coast Guard Cebu station commander, said vessels with below 250 gross tonnage were barred from traveling due to the gale warning issued by the state weather bureau Pagasa since late Sunday afternoon.
Pagasa-Mactan weather analyst Romeo Aguirre said in a radio interview on Monday morning that there was a strong southwest monsoon or habagat which was enhanced by the low pressure area over the Aurora province area.
The gale warning affects the three regions of the Visayas and other parts of the country, he said.
As of past 9 am, Commander Bibat said 10 vessels, mostly fastcrafts for Bohol and Eastern Visayas were canceled, stranding 512 passengers.
These figures did not include those passengers who went home after the shipping firms refused to issue tickets.
Clemer Lines did not issue tickets for today’s trips to Getafe Bohol. Smaller fastcrafts for Starcraft going to and from Tubigon Bohol also suspended its trips.
Early today, Bibat said, Oceanjet 1 canceled its trip for Ormoc City and Oceanjet 11 for Camotes Island.
The bigger Supercat vessel was able to continue its trip at 6:30 am from Tagbilaran but only arrived at past 9 am even if it was supposed to have only a two-hour voyage.
The management told Bibat that the vessel will cancel its trips back to Bohol because of strong waves. Bigger vessels can continue to sail but Bibat said they leave it to the management and their crew to decide.