Several fastcraft operators canceled their trips despite the lifting of the gale warning at noon yesterday.
Agapito Bibat, Philippine Coast Guard-Cebu station commander, said trips by Oceanjet 888 scheduled at 3:30 p.m., Oceanjet 168 at 4:20 p.m. and Oceanjet 188 at 6:35 p.m. all headed to Tagbilaran City in Bohol were canceled due to rough seas.
“Dagko pa gyod ang bawod paingon didto sa (The waves are still big heading to) Tagbilaran,” Bibat said.
But Oceanjet also resumed its scheduled trip for Ormoc City at 5 p.m.
Supercat also resumed its Ormoc trip but canceled its evening trip for Tagbilaran City.
Bibat said 15 vessels with below 250 gross tonnage suspended their trips since last Sunday evening.
The state weather bureau Pagasa issued a gale warning at 5 p.m. last Sunday.
The cancellation of trips stranded 686 passengers bound for Bohol, Leyte, San Carlos City, and Cadiz City at the ports of Cebu yesterday.
The southwest monsoon or habagat enhanced the low pressure area over the Aurora province.
But Pagasa updated its weather advisory at past 11 a.m. yesterday, lifting the gale warning over Central Visayas. Still Bibat said some shipping firms were cautioned about the rough seas.
Pagasa-Mactan weather specialist Vhan Singson said the gale warning was lifted for the entire Visayas region at 5 p.m.
But strong winds between 40 to 50 kph were still experienced in the Visayas area due to the southwest monsoon and the low pressure area that moved to Cavite province, making it risky for sea travel for smaller sea crafts.
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