Ships are docked at Pier 1 of the Ports of Cebu City in this December 9, 2019 photo. | CDN Digital file
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Shipping companies have already halted the acceptance of passengers traveling to and from Cebu City following the directive of the Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG) on the temporary suspension of travels here.
In separate advisories posted by the Cebu Port Authority (CPA), the Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Lite Shipping Corp., and Medallion Transport Inc., have all announced that they will no longer accommodate passengers in compliance with the DILG order.
Medallion Transport said in its advisory posted at past midnight on Sunday, June 21, 2020, that they will no longer transport passengers “following the directive of the Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG) on the temporary suspension of travel of persons to and from Cebu City.”
Cokaliong Shipping, on the other hand, said the suspension of trips does not cover frontliners and uniformed personnel, trips from Nasipit, Agusan del Norte to Jagna, Bohol, and vice versa, and cargo trips to all destinations.
The DILG-7, in an advisory date June 19, announced the temporary travel ban for locally stranded individuals (LSIs) going to and from Cebu City, the only area in the country that is now under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The Philippine Coast Guard District Central Visayas (PCGDCV) also issued a Notice to Mariners in line with the travel ban.
Commodore Joseph Badajos, commander of PCGDCV, however, clarified that the movement of cargo vessels will remain unhampered throughout the ECQ period.
PCG-7 Commander, Commodore Joseph Badajos, issues Notice to Mariners in line with the DILG’s directive on the travel ban of LSIs to and from Cebu City. (PCG Visayas Command)
“No restrictions on the movement of any and all cargo within said City during the period of the enhanced community quarantine, subject to the conduct of strict quarantine protocols for domestic vessels, and in case of foreign vessels, in coordination with the Bureau of Quarantine,” the Notice to Mariners said. / dcb