Trips between Bacolod and Iloilo were supposed to resume yesterday, June 1, but commercial sea travel were put to a halt yesterday afternoon, after the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) placed Bacolod under Signal No. 1 due to Tropical Storm Dante.
The Philippine Coast Guard in an advisory said all fastcrafts and roll-on/roll-off ferry services in areas under Signal No. 1 are suspended, leaving over 300 passengers stranded in various ports in Bacolod and around Negros Occidental. Based on data from PCG at least 113 rolling cargoes and 18 vessels were stranded at the ports of Bacolod, Escalante, Sagay and San Carlos.
As of 7AM today, June 2, PAGASA said the center of tropical storm Dante was estimated based on all available data including those from Iloilo Doppler Weather Radar over the southern coastal waters of Romblon, Romblon. But the following areas in Western Visayas remain under Signal No. 1:
Antique, the rest of Aklan, the rest of Capiz, the rest of Iloilo, Guimaras, La Castellana, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, La Carlota City, San Carlos City, Bago City, Bacolod City, Murcia, Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, City of Talisay, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, City of Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso.
But once Dante is out of the region’s vicinity, commercial sea travel will remain suspended after Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas issued a new executive order extending the travel moratorium between Bacolod and Iloilo until June 15. In an executive order signed by the mayor yesterday and was published on its official Facebook page, the mayor said non-essential travels between the 2 cities will remain suspended while the entire Iloilo City is under Modified Enhance Community Quarantine.
The EO added that entry and exit points by way of land, sea and air travel will remain restricted to workers, persons needing medical care, locally stranded individuals, returning overseas Filipinos, individuals extending humanitarian support and those accessing government services.
