Residents of Talim Island in Binangonan, Rizal are asking for the opening of additional boat trips going to the island.
In a Facebook post by Taga Isla Ako-Talim Island, the villagers are hoping that the boat operators would open a new schedule at night time to accommodate residents coming from their respective work places or schools especially during Friday and Saturday.
The group's administrator told Manila Bulletin that the comment section of the Facebook page are bombarded with the appeals of the residents to open a schedule of boat travel after 7 p.m. or 8 p.m., the time that some of the residents who are coming from work are arriving and trying to catch up the last trip for the day.
Since the pandemic happened, the boat operators’ association has set the last boat travel at 6 p.m. from Pritil in Binangonan.
The last trip from Talim Island’s port to Binangonan port varies as the schedule would depend on the number of passengers leaving the island.
Aside from the boat for passengers, the islanders are also clamoring for the provision of boats for their cargoes as the current policy does not allow large volume of goods to be loaded in the designated cargo boat.
With the restrictions on the cargoes, the islanders said some of the sari-sari stores and grocery stores in the island have jacked up the prices of goods to be able to survive the day-to-day operations.
Consultations and discussions are being held among the villagers on the island in order for them to come up with a common appeal to the government, both local and national.
The villagers are also appealing to Rizal Governor Nina Ynares, the national government and other agencies concerned to prioritize the construction of a bridge that would connect the island, to the mainland. There are 17 barangays on the island that are part of Binangonan and seven are part of Cardona.
On July 27, 27 people drowned when the passenger boat they were riding capsized en route to the island due to strong winds brought about by "habagat".
Criminal charges have been filed against the boat skipper and operator and a member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).