Boat trips resume in Boracay ports

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Motorized passenger boats resumed its service to Boracay Island shortly before noon Saturday after public storm warning signal due to tropical storm 'Basyang' was lowered over the province of Aklan. 

Tourism Boracay officer-in-charge Artemio ‘Tim’ Ticar said some 700 passengers were stranded on Friday at Caticlan port, the main gateway to Boracay Island, and the Cagban port in Barangay Manoc-Manoc. 

“The boat trips resumed at 11:45 in the morning Saturday at the ports. The weather outlook, hopefully, will be moderate and partly cloudy,” he said in a text message.

According to Philippine Coast Guard-Caticlan office, the trips of roro vessels to Mindoro were also temporarily suspended. The PCG station will also continue to monitor the weather development in Aklan and the Boracay Island, despite, the motorized boats resumed its operations.

Tropical storm ‘Basyang’ has weakened into tropical depression and is expected to cross Southern Panay, Northern Palawan and will exit to the West Philippine Sea.

As of 11 a.m.  the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather bureau bulletin said the center of tropical depression ‘Basyang’ was estimated at 339 km northeast of Puerto Princesa City.

Signal Number 1 was raised over all the provinces in Western Visayas and parts of Luzon, including Romblon, Palawan, Calamian Group of Islands, southern part of Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro. 

The storm packed maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph.