More than 9,000 individuals were still stranded in various ports nationwide despite the improving weather condition in parts of Bicol (Region 5) and Northeastern Mindanao, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported Tuesday, April 12.
Commodore Armand Balilo, PCG spokesperson, said a total of 9,435 passengers, drivers, and cargo helpers were stranded in various ports in Bicol (Region 5), Western Visayas (Region 6), Central Visayas (Region 7), Eastern Visayas (Region 8), and Northeastern Mindanao due to tropical depression “Agaton”.
“Halos lahat ng ports will be allowed to resume operations. Based on the station commanders, hold pa ang byahe dahil malakas pa ang alon but they expect na gumanda na ang panahon (Almost all affected ports will be allowed to resume operations. Based on the station commanders, all trips are still on hold because of the strong waves but they expect that the weather will improve),” Balilo told reporters.
At Matnog Port in Sorsogon, Balilo said the operations have already resumed after it stopped all trips to Eastern Samar, the rest of Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Camotes Island due to Again.
“Mababawasan na ang stranded (The stranded passengers will start decreasing),” he noted.
Aside from this, there were 2,800 rolling cargoes, 42 vessels and one motorbanca that were stranded in ports while 86 vessels and 23 motorbancas were taking shelter amid the bad weather.
Holy Week trips
Meanwhile, passengers continued to troop to different ports to go to their home provinces for the Holy Week.
The PCG monitored 22,344 outbound passengers and 21,289 inbound passengers as of 12 noon of Tuesday.