Starting May 11: Bantayan ferry fares to go down

CEBU, Philippines —  After years of fare burden that started during the pandemic and worsened in recent months, ferry operators serving the Hagnaya-Sta. Fe route agreed to reduce passenger and vehicle fares by May 11.

The commitment came during a meeting on the resolution filed by Sta. Fe and Bantayan Island officials before the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Region 7, following complaints from passengers and residents over the continued increase in boat fares.

Bantayan Councilor Jaypee Lao, who attended the meeting, said he brought the concern before MARINA not only for Sta. Fe but for the entire island, where sea travel is a daily lifeline for residents, workers, students, traders, and tourists.

“Before pandemic ang biyahe g’yud paingon Bantayan Island was only ?185 then during the pandemic it became ?300. After pandemic wala na g’yud siya nibalik. Up until today gikan sa ?300 naabot na ug ?400 to ?450,” Lao said.

Lao said Resolution No. 152 formally asked MARINA to reassess the high fares and the repeated delays in ferry trips serving Bantayan Island.

The shipping lines explained that the fare increases were driven by high fuel costs, saying they had bought diesel in bulk when prices were already elevated. Island Shipping Corp. also said it was the last among the three to implement an increase, raising fares only after Holy Week when it could no longer carry the cost.

But after the discussion, Lao said Aznar Shipping Lines, Island Shipping Corp., and Super Shuttle Ferry granted the appeal to lower both passenger and vehicle fares starting May 11.

“Ni-apil ra g’yud mi as public officials nga gadala sa tingog sa mga konstituwente. Happily, gi-grant g’yud ta sa tulo ka shipping lines nga on May 11 ilaha nang us-usan ang pletehan, pletehan sa pasahero ug pletehan sa sakyanan,” Lao said.

The meeting also tackled persistent trip delays, which operators linked to docking limits at Hagnaya Port, where vessels follow a “one way in, one way out” system, forcing other ferries to wait before they can dock.

MARINA asked the shipping lines to coordinate with job-order personnel in Sta. Fe to monitor departure times and immediately report delays so advisories can be posted on the town’s official page.

For Bantayan residents, the agreed fare rollback offers long-awaited relief on a route that is not only a gateway to one of Cebu’s top island destinations, but a vital link for families who have been paying more just to go home. — Chain Lee Templo, CTU-Tuburan intern/BRP (FREEMAN)