The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA-6) on Monday, Jan. 4, said they have no choice but to disallow wooden-hulled motorbancas from plying routes between Guimaras and Iloilo.
The order, which took effect on the first day of 2021, was issued by the MARINA central office in Manila, according Jose Venancio Vero Jr., director of the maritime regulator in Western Visayas.
The Certificates of Public Convenience (CPCs) of the traditional pump boats expired on Dec 31 last year.
Vero said only the central office can decide on the appeals submitted by associations of pump boat operators from the towns of Jordan and Buenavista.
A total of 47 wooden-hulled motor bancas have been affected by the stoppage order, of which 30 serve the Buenavista-Iloilo route and 17 serve the Jordan-Iloilo route.
According to Vero, only modern boats are allowed to operate as part of the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) modernization program for sea transportation.
At present, four fiber glass-hulled boats and one steel-hulled boat are operating in the routes.
But Governor Samuel Gumarin said the five modern boats will not be enough to cater to at least 20 thousand Guimaras residents traveling every day via pump boats.
On Monday afternoon, the Guimaras Provincial Government headed by Gumarin and Vice Governor John Eduard Gando met with officials of MARINA-6 to discuss urgent solutions to long queues of passengers at wharves.IMT
