Good News From Matnog! More Vessels Now Ply Sorsogon-Samar Route

The long lines of trucks waiting for ferry boats to cross the San Bernardino Strait from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao and back are now gone.

Three days after I called on Transportation Secretary Art Tugade to address the problem of lack of ferry boats plying the Matnog, Sorsogon-Allen, Samar Route, truckers have reported today that additional vessels have been deployed.

On Tuesday, while on my way back to Mindanao from a series of engagements in Metro Manila, I captured on video long lines of trucks waiting to be loaded by the few ferry boats sailing the route.

Trucker friends told me that this had been going on for months and that some unscrupulous port officials in cahoots with fixers were making a lot of money.

The going rate, some truckers said, was between P5,000 to P8,000 per truck.

The lack of vessels caused delays in the truckers trips some of whom had to wait for days.

Those with perishable cargoes suffered losses.

Today, I received the information that more vessels are now plying the route and travel is faster.

Thank you Sec. Art for acting on the problem immediately.

#TouchTheGroundFeelThePulse!

#GovernanceIsCommonSense!

#letswalkanextrakilometer!