“THERE is a need to reconcile policies,” between the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as far as allowing or disallowing island residents of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia town, despite the fact that CPG has a “special permit from PCG, allowing sea travel under signal No. 1.”
Provincial Board Member Fernando Estavilla (second district), a former municipal mayor here, threw this inquiry or question in his privilege speech during the February 10, 2026 SP regular session presided over by BM Jiselle Rae A. Villamor, a lawyer by profession.
Estavilla appeared to be disappointed over what island residents experience in an “ordeal-type” by finding ways just to get to sea transport to go back home.
He lamented in vernacular that pity are those families who have just buy stuff since they have just received money. Pity are those students and workers who wanted to go home to be with their families and patients and persons with disabilities (PWDs) and sickly have to walk through the muddy shoreline to catch up with waiting motorize boats just to get home. As this happened sometime last week when the typhoon hit the province, the sea or channel is calm.
The prohibition “has caused confusion, frustration and inconvenience among passengers. Mapugos intawon ang atuang mga mbyahiay nga mangita ug alternative routes as shown on the video flashed on the screen.”
He said that the distance of the port in Ubay town to CPG is only over a kilometer and it would take only about five minutes to cross the narrow channel that separates CPG from mainland Bohol.
PPA barred the residents to be transported via LCT Isla de Pitogo vessel. PPA did not allow passengers to take the ride of the vessel following the ban for any sea vessel to sail when the Typhoon Cyclone Wind Signa Number one is raised especially during the Tropical Typhoon “Basyang” was approaching.
He said PPA opted to close the port of Tapal in Ubay pursuant to the general rule of no-sail contained in HCPG Memorandum or the Revised Guidelines on Movement of Vessels during bad weather.
Estavilla posed this: On whose directives/policy to be followed?
CPG “has long secured special permit from PCG, allowing sea travel under signal No. 1,” he said. The special permit provides for policy for short distance voyages provided in section 6, part C of the guidelines.
The matter was referred to the Climate Change and peace and order committees of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. (Ric Obedencio)
