ORION, Bataan — The 1Bataan Integrated Transport System on Friday announced that its ferry service from Manila to this town and vice-versa will temporarily stop operation from March 15 to April 14 following the declaration of President Duterte placing Metro Manila under community quarantine due to Covid-19.
Joseph Loyola, transport system administrative head, said to be affected by the stoppage are the three round trips daily of the ferry boat plying Manila to Orion at 7a.m., 2 p.m., and 6:15 p.m. and Orion to Manila at 9a.m., 4 p.m., and 8:15 p.m.
Loyola said that lately, because of the Covid-19, the average number of their passengers per trip went down to 80-100 compared to 140-150 before.
“We are expecting maybe later tonight during the last trip we will have more passengers. Tomorrow Saturday, we will be cancelling the night trip. So, we are hoping talaga na medyo dadagsa ang tao dito sa mga susunod na two days,” he said.
“From March 15 to April 14 we are suspending the trips with the fact na may community quarantine sa Metro Manila,” Loyola added.
He said that as prevention to Covid-19, they installed an infrared thermal scanner at the Diosdado Macapagal Cruise Terminal in Port Capinpin in Barangay Puting Buhangin, Orion.
Loyola said that 40 percent of their passengers are tourists while 60 percent are common commuters mostly from business enterprises in the towns of Mariveles and Limay.
“Actually, maraming nalulungkot dahil isa ‘yan sa magandang means of transportation lalo na kapag lumuluwas at mabilis. Medyo nakakalungkot,” Orion Mayor Antonio Raymundo Jr. said when asked of the effect of the temporary stoppage of the ferry service.
Fare per person one way in the ferry boat is P299 for the “sulit” economy class and P600 for premium economy class while fare in passenger buses is P200.
Travel time by ferry boat is 40 to 50 minutes only while it takes more than three hours by land transportation.
The mayor said they were in continuous monitoring of residents arriving from countries affected by Covid-19 to prevent the entry of the deadly virus in their town.
“Naka-ready ang ating mga barangay officials. May instruction ako na lahat ng darating mula sa ibang bansa na apektado ng Covid-19 ay ma–monitor at mag-self quarantine,” he said.
“Nagdesignate kami ng holding area kung may PUI at PUM alinsunod sa protocol ng DOH. Nakalatag lahat ang ating mga prosesong gagawin at nakahanda tayo,” Raymundo added.
