Thousands remain stranded at ports

MANILA, Philippines —  Thousands of passengers remain stranded at ports nationwide even as Severe Tropical Storm Kristine left the Philippine landmass.

A total of 3,857 passengers, 872 rolling cargoes, 49 vessels and 24 motor bancas remained stranded in 61 ports in Southern Tagalog, Northwestern Luzon, Bicol, Northeastern Mindanao, Central Visayas, Western Visayas, National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon and Northern Mindanao as of noon yesterday, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

Trips of vessels at ports in Manila, Batangas, Mindoro, Bicol, Masbate, Quezon province, Palawan, Panay, Western Leyte, Negros Occidental and Zamboanga del Norte remained cancelled yesterday, according to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

The Department of Tourism also reported 529 tourists stranded in some of the country’s tourist destinations.

From that figure, 179 travelers were stuck in Batanes, 16 in Mauban, Quezon and in Lobo, Batangas, 33 in Oriental Mindoro and Marinduque, 12 in Boracay, 25 in Maasin, Southern Leyte and 264 in Surigao del Norte.

PPA general manager Jay Santiago ordered port managers across the country to prioritize letting in trucks and personnel to be sent off for relief and recovery efforts.

The directive also applies to private ports, or they might face administrative sanctions, he said.

Roads closed

Forty-two road sections remained closed to traffic, including eight in Cordillera Administrative Region; nine in NCR; one in Ilocos Region; two in Cagayan Valley; one in Central Luzon, six in Calabarzon and 15 in Bicol, according to an advisory from the Department of Public Works and Highways.

DPWH said “soil collapse, flooding, collapsed pavement, landslide, fallen trees, rock collapse, rockslides, debris and collapsed bridge” damaged the roads.

The agency added that three national bridges are also unpassable, including one in Cagayan Valley, one in Calabarzon and one in Bicol due to flooding. – Rudy Santos