Residents traveling between Guimaras Island and Panay may have to endure long lines until more boats get to travel again.

Four fiber boats are not traveling, as of this writing, due to compliance problems, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)-6 has confirmed.

Three of the boats lack documents to travel while one is on dry dock.

According to the dispatcher of the Guimaras Island Transport Multipurpose Cooperative, the operator of the boats, only seven boats are ferrying passengers between Jordan town in Guimaras to Iloilo City in Panay Island, and vice versa.

The boat dispatcher, Sheila Parker, said long lines form at ports during peak hours these days.

Travelers experience these long lines typically only during the Holy Week and the Manggahan festival.

According to MARINA-6, among the documents that the cooperative needs to comply are the papers on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping, and safety management.

“Marami siyang safety na inspections. Merong annual inspections. Ang iba, nagkataon na nagsabay-sabay na expired ang kanilang documents. So, yan, ang apat nilang vessels ngayon. ‘Yung iba, merong for compliance, ang iba due for dry docking na,” said Atty. Nicole Marie Iragana Amuan-Arpa, spokesperson of MARINA-6.

The local government of Jordan said it has spoken with MARINA and the agency has assured it would renew the papers for the boats immediately once the cooperative complies with the requirements.