MANILA – Several ships were rerouted to the Balanacan Port in Marinduque on Tuesday due to an unexpected surge of passengers.
In a statement, Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) spokesperson Eunice Samonte said three ships were scheduled to arrive at the Balanacan Port from Lucena Port — the Starhorse, Montenegro, and M. Kristina.
The Port Management Office of Marinduque/Quezon (PMO-Marquez) has also coordinated with shipping lines to reroute additional ships and prioritize passengers at the Balanacan Port.
About 800 passengers were reported to have flocked to the port on Tuesday, much more than the traditional surge of passengers on Jan. 1.
At 5:30 p.m., she said, all passengers had boarded their ships and left the port.
She noted that due to fewer passengers on Monday, shipping lines rerouted their trips to Romblon from Balanacan Port, resulting in fewer ships being available on Tuesday.
She said such issues could be mitigated through the use of an online booking system and encouraged its adoption.
In its latest report, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said 71,861 outbound passengers and 54,139 inbound passengers were monitored in all ports nationwide.
To ensure their safety, the PCG has deployed 2,700 front-line personnel to 15 PCG districts and has inspected 459 vessels and 1,342 motorbancas. (PNA)
