19 returning Undas travelers rescued off Cebu, Bohol

MANILA, Philippines — Nineteen people returning home from spending All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days in Bohol were rescued after their motorized boat encountered rough sea conditions while sailing toward Cebu yesterday morning.

Among those rescued were a baby, a nine-year-old child and a senior citizen, according to the Lapu-Lapu City disaster management office.

Reports said the boat encountered high waves while sailing beween Getafe in Bohol and Angasil in Lapu-Lapu City.

Authorities said seawater entered the boat and drenched the engine, causing it to malfunction.

Reports of the incident were received by emergency hotline 911 at 5:04 a.m.

The passengers were rescued at around 5:33 a.m. by a passing vessel, the Edgel Ferry Express V.

They were transported to the port of Hilton in Lapu-Lapu City.

Nagiel Banacia, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City disaster risk reduction and management office, said the passengers were given medical attention and food before they were transported back to their villages. Everyone was found to be in good physical condition.

Banacia said authorities have yet to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident including the possibility that the boat was overloaded.

Sea travelers drop 16 percent

Meanwhile, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) yesterday reported a 16-percent drop in the number of sea travelers who went home to observe Undas in the provinces.

Data from the PPA showed that from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2,  there were 1.36 million people who traveled by sea during the holidays.

Last year, the PPA recorded 1.62 million sea travelers.

PPA general manager Jay Santiago said that port operations went smoothly and no untoward incident occurred.

Santiago attributed the decrease in the number of passengers to the high cost of fares.

“Our ships have increased their fares by an average of between 10 and 15 percent,” Santiago said.

Citing an assessment by the PPA, he said Filipinos may have opted to postpone their travel to next week after the government declared Nov. 16 to 18, which falls on Monday to Wednesday, as special non-working holidays due to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit. — The Freeman, Bella Cariaso