Cokaliong: Ships still popular today

By: Victor Anthony V. Silva September 03,2016 - 10:48 PM

Chester C. Cokaliong, Cokaliong Shipping Lines Inc. president, (right photo, 7th from left) and Gregoria Cokaliong, the shipping firm’s chairperson, (5th from left) together with Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella (3rd from left), Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino (6th from left) and Rep. (Cebu City north district) Raul del Mar, throw coins and candies during the blessing of the MV Filipinas Jagna. (CDN PHOTO/ FERDINAND R. EDRALIN)

Chester C. Cokaliong, Cokaliong Shipping Lines Inc. president, (7th from left) and Gregoria Cokaliong, the shipping firm’s chairperson, (5th from left) together with Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella (3rd from left), Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino (6th from left) and Rep. (Cebu City north district) Raul del Mar, throw coins and candies during the blessing of the MV Filipinas Jagna. (CDN PHOTO/ FERDINAND R. EDRALIN)

Despite more frequent air fare promos, sea travel remains as the easier and cheaper mode of transportation as compared to air travel.

Chester Cokaliong, founder, chief executive officer and chief operating officer of Cokaliong Shipping Lines Inc., said in an interview yesterday that this is because the Philippines is an archipelagic country.

“Ships are still popular. We even have more passengers than airlines,” Cokaliong told Cebu Daily News on board the MV Filipinas Jagna, the company’s newest ship in its fleet, during its inauguration at Pier 4 in Cebu City on Saturday.

Cokaliong said he did not see airlines as a threat to the shipping industry because budget-conscious passengers would prefer traveling by sea.

He also said that even high-income families ride ships.

To serve more passengers, the company officially launched its newest ship, MV Filipinas Jagna.

Among the notable guests who attended the inauguration were Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino, Cebu City 1st district Rep. Raul del Mar, Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and Cebu City Councilors Joel Garganera and Jerry Guardo, among others.

Cokaliong Shipping Lines' newest vessel M/V Filpinas Jagna. (CDN PHOTO/ FERDINAND R. EDRALIN)

Cokaliong Shipping Lines’ newest vessel M/V Filpinas Jagna. (CDN PHOTO/ FERDINAND R. EDRALIN)

Also present were Cokaliong Group of Companies Chairperson Gregoria Cokaliong, other second-generation family members and their children.

MV Filipinas Jagna, which is valued at P260 million, is the company’s 11th Ro-Ro (Roll on, Roll off) passenger vessel and the second one with a computerized engine monitoring system.

The amount included expenses on the renovations of five different passenger accommodations including suites, cabin, tourist, reclining chairs in an air-conditioned lounge and economy.

Cokaliong said that with the addition of the ship to their fleet, they were able to generate employment for 50 people who were hired as ship officials and crew members.

The MV Filipinas Jagna will ply the Cebu-Cagayan de Oro-Cebu route on Tuesday and Thursday and the Cebu-Cagayan de Oro-Jagna-Cagayan de Oro-Cebu route every Saturday starting November this year.

Cagayan de Oro will be the firm’s 15th port of call following Calbayog (Maguino-o), Cebu, Dapitan, Dumaguete, Iligan, Iloilo, Jagna, Maasin, Masbate, Nasipit, Ozamis, Palompon, Surigao and Tagbilaran.

Cokaliong said they had been trying to penetrate Cagayan de Oro as a port of call for 10 years, but plans have always been postponed as they entertained requests from other provinces.

He said now would be the right time to enter that port as there had been a shortage of boats plying the Cebu-Cagayan de Oro-Cebu route.

He said the company also planned to increase the frequency of existing routes in Ozamis, Iligan, Iloilo and Masbate, where only a few companies operate passenger-cargo vessels.

He also hinted at the acquisition of MV Filipinas Jagna’s sister ship, which he said will be delivered to them by May next year.

Having been in the industry for 27 years already, Cokaliong said he still remained aggressive in the acquisition of ships because of his love for them.

“I love ships. That’s what sets me apart from other ship owners. Others treat their shipping business as pure business. Mine, it’s not only business but also my passion,” he said.

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TAGS: Cebu, ship, shipping, vessel

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