Tacloban (CNN Philippines, December 18) – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) lifted the temporary suspension of sea travel in the ports of Cebu after Tropical Depression Kabayan weakened into a low pressure area (LPA) Monday afternoon.
It said MV 2GO Masagana, carrying 592 people headed to Cebu and Cagayan de Oro, and MV St. Michael the Archangel, carrying 1,721 passengers to Dipolog, Dumaguete, and Zamboanga, received clearance for departure.
Tacloban-based correspondent Wil Mark Amazona and Cebu-based correspondent Dale Israel contributed to this story.
PCG Cebu Commander Mark Larsen Mariano, however, said that vessels with 250 gross tonnage and below were not allowed to sail because of the gale warning raised in the region.
Most passenger ferries were allowed to travel since 5 p.m., easing the number of stranded passengers in Cebu ports.
Among the trips that resumed were those in the ports of Liloan and Bato in Santander, Cebu. Vessels bound for Ubay, Bohol; Nasipit, Agusan Del Norte; Surigao City; Iloilo; Tagbilaran, Bohol; and, Cagayan De Oro City were also allowed to embark.
Tips to Ormoc City and Hilongos in Leyte, as well as those bound for Ozamis, Iligan, and Dipolog have also resumed.
Sibulan and Tampi ports in Negros Oriental also started trips, according to shipping companies operating in the mentioned ports.
The PCG Central Visayas earlier prohibited all vessels from Cebu City from sailing, affecting around 200 cargo ships and 34 passenger vessels.
Flights heading to Siargao, Surigao and Ozamis from Cebu were earlier canceled.
The PCG earlier suspended sea travel in parts of Eastern Visayas as a precautionary measure against the effects of Kabayan, which was a tropical storm on Monday morning before it was downgraded into a tropical depression, then into an LPA.
PCG sub-stations Southern Leyte, Western Leyte, Samar, and Eastern Samar implemented the suspension, which applies to all types of vessels, including fishing boats, motorbancas, and other small seacraft.
Meanwhile, the PCG recorded over 5,400 stranded passengers at Manila North Port Passenger Terminal due to canceled trips. The number was reduced to around 2,500 at around 5 p.m.
The PCG earlier said vessels supposedly heading to Cebu City, Butuan City, Tagbilaran City, and Cagayan de Oro City were waiting for advisory about the safe voyage.
The agency said it recorded the following counts of stranded passengers in various regions across the country on Monday, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.: 1,069 passengers in Eastern Visayas, 1,703 passengers in Central Visayas, 832 passengers in Western Visayas, and 442 passengers in northeastern Mindanao.
