Irate passengers fill Calapan port

She added that all parking spaces were already allotted to priority passengers, namely senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and children

The Philippine Ports Authority stressed on Tuesday that it is doing its best to accommodate the throngs of passengers at the still under-construction Calapan Port and vowed to address the situation.

PPA spokesperson Eunice Samonte disclosed that the influx of passengers at Calapan Port as of 12 noon Tuesday continues even though vessel voyages are not hampered.

“Because of the limited space inside Calapan Port, aside from the ongoing passenger terminal building construction, authorities have placed additional canopies and tents to accommodate queuing passengers that are purchasing vessel tickets,” said Samonte.

She added that all parking spaces were already allotted to priority passengers, namely senior citizens, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and children.

“The Customs Brokerage Services Inc. and the port terminal management contractor at Calapan Port are already facilitating the orderliness of passengers and giving number cards for the systematic flow of passengers,” Samonte said.

Also, she said that PPA has constant coordination with the LGU Calapan for the provision of tents to passengers.

In a facebook post on Tuesday, the provincial information office of Oriental Mindoro urged passengers to take precautions and be extra patient as long lines have reached outside the port and even on roads where vehicles pass by.

“Take precautions and bring extra patience for those who are going back to the mainland,” the PIO said.

Netizens on the said port posted their rants on social media as they suffered from failing in line for three to five hours before they could board the vessels that would bring them back to the mainland.

The PPA said Calapan Port’s passenger terminal building is accepting 36,000 passengers, embarking and disembarking, on a daily basis.

Photograph courtesy of pcg philippine coast guard commandant cg admiral artemio abu pins the rank medal to Department of information and communications technology undersecretary anna Mae lamentillo at the pcg national headquarters in Manila.