10 motorized boats ferry stranded passengers to Olango Island
Hundreds of passengers, who were stranded since Thursday (Jan. 4, 2018) at the Hilton wharf in Barangay Punta Engaño and Angasil wharf in Barangay Mactan in Lapu-Lapu City, were able to cross the Hilutungan Channel to Olango Island on Friday (Jan. 5, 2018).
This developed after 10 passenger motorized bancas plying the Mactan, Punta Engano-Olango Island
crossing were allowed to sail again on Friday.
The motorized bancas plying the route were ordered to stop ferrying passengers to Olango Island and back on Thursday by the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority in Central Visayas (Marina-7) for failure to renew their passenger safety certificates.
On Friday, the boat operators secured a temporary permit to operate from Marina and were able to sail. They were given until next week to secure the requirements for their passenger safety certificates to be released.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) led by its chief, Andy Berame, put on standby a rescue ambulance in the Hilton and Angasil wharfs to monitor the stranded passengers in case they would need health assistance while they waited for the motorized bancas to sail again.
Berame said, that other motorized bancas used in the island hopping services were not included in the hold order of Marina but only those motorized bancas ferrying passengers to Olango Island.
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