THREE fastcraft operators docking at Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (Bredco) port in Bacolod City incurred about P400,000 worth of “opportunity losses” due to the two-day cancellation of sea trips.
On Saturday, the state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomic Services Administration (Pagasa) placed Negros Occidental under Storm Signal Number 1.
The Philippine Coast Guard-Bacolod then ordered the cancellation of trips for both fastcraft and roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vessels plying to and from the province.
Hundreds of passengers were stranded. They were able to travel only on Sunday after trips for RoRo and fastcraft vessels resumed at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.
Frank Carbon, operator of Weesam Express, Monday said each of the three fastcraft vessels plying the Bacolod-Iloilo route and vice versa can cater to about 1,000 passengers a day.
The other two vessels are SuperCat of 2Go Travel and Ocean Jet Ferries Inc.
Carbon said that since averagely “half” of these passengers travel everyday, this could translate into about P200,000 worth of opportunity losses per day for the three fastcraft vessels.
“This is just an opportunity loss, which means that it is supposed to be generated if sea vessel trips were not cancelled,” he said, adding that “this business disturbance is a form of natural calamity thus, we have no control over it.”
Some of the stranded passengers, especially those coming from out-of-town areas, chose to stay at the Bredco port overnight hoping that the cancellation will be lifted soon.
For Weesam alone, Carbon said they opened their terminal to accommodate stranded passengers.
The canteen was also opened for them so they can buy food without going outside the port, he added.