Malapascua Island trip getting more expensive

CEBU, Philippines - As the Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan braces for the peak season this summer, it has also become more expensive to go there because of the recent increase of the boat fare.

Daanbantayan municipal tourism officer Maria Melca Batucan said that beginning Thursday last week boat operators are collecting P80 one-way fare. The amount is P30 higher than they used to collect.

Ramon de Dios, one of the boat operators in Malapascua Island, said they requested Mayor Maria Luisa Loot to allow the increase of the boat fare considering the high cost of fuel.

De Dios said the P50 boat fare they used to collect was implemented three years ago and that the cost of fuel has, since then, increased several times already.

On top of the P30 increase each passenger will have to pay an additional P10 for the dinghy or a small boat locally known as “tonda” that ferries passengers to the docking area of passenger boat during low tide.

Logon Barangay Captain Rex Novabos said that he will ask Loot to lower the fare rate considering also the locals who frequently travel for their living.

“Pag start niadtong Thursday pwerte gyud grabeha sa pletehan sa pumpboat diri. Imagine tag P80 na gikan sa P50 pesos. Pwerte gyud reklamo namong mga tawo diri sa Logon,” one resident said in a text message to The FREEMAN.

“Bad for the tourist and the tourism at all,” a German resort owner who refused to be named said.

Recently the Cebu Provincial Bus Operators Association has also implemented fare hike at P6 for the first five kilometers and P1.20 for every succeeding kilometers.

The bus fare from the Cebu North Bus Terminal to Maya-wharf in Daanbantayan before was P100 but it was raised to P163.

“Big big problems are as before that the boats very often cancel even if they are listed,” a German national said referring to the cancellation of scheduled boat trips making passengers to wait more hours for the next trip.

He told The FREEMAN that the power company in Malapascua Island also told them that the price for electricity, due to the increasing cost of diesel, will also increased from P24.50 to 26.5 per kilowatt.

The increase in power rate will also result in the rise of prices of goods and services as well as room rates. — (FREEMAN)