Passengers stranded in Manila North Harbor due to Odette

Several port passengers were stranded at the Manila North Harbor on Tuesday due to delayed sea travel caused by Typhoon Odette.

In Oscar Oida’s Balitanghali report, people who were supposedly bound for Bacolod were seen staying outside the port after their trip was postponed to 9 p.m. from 5:30 a.m.

Some of them have been queueing since Monday night in hopes to have a good seat while traveling by sea.

According to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), while the operations have resumed in all ports nationwide, some still operate on a limited capacity such as those in Surigao; Liloan, Southern Leyte; Bohol; and Roxas, Palawan.

PPA said that these delays and change of schedules are still brought by the problems caused by Typhoon Odette.

It urged the passengers to coordinate first with the shipping lines before going to the ports to make sure that the trip would push through as planned.

Despite these trip delays, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), on the other hand, reported on Tuesday that the number of inbound passengers rose by 25,200 or 74%, while outbound passengers rose by 22,996 or 62% in all ports nationwide after Typhoon Odette’s onslaught. — Giselle Ombay/BM, GMA News