ILOILO City – Due to a sharp drop in the volume of passengers, fast craft operators serving the Iloilo City – Bacolod City route and vice versa decided to temporarily suspend their operations.
The drop is being attributed to a pandemic-related requirement re-imposed once more by the city governments of Iloilo and Bacolod to inbound travelers from one other’s turf – presentation of negative results of the travelers’ reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests that should be conduct not more than 72 hours before travel.
Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas was not surprised by the fastcraft operators’ decision, recalling a similar move last year.
He advised those who have important travels to just take the ro-ro (roll n, roll off) ships serving the Dumangas, Iloilo – Bacolod City route and vice versa.
“Actually, subong diutay gid man ga-travel because high-risk kita sa region. Kon importante gid ang travel, pwede man ro-ro sa Dumangas,” said Treñas.
He justified the imposition of the RT-PCR negative test result requirement, citing rising coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and the threat of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Frank Carbon, operator of Weesam Express, said they suspended their trips to show cooperation to the decisions made by Bacolod City’s Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Iloilo City’s Treñas.
Trips will likely remain suspended until Jan. 15. Carbon hopes for a lower alert level by then./PN
