More and more residents of Eastern Visayas are (re)discovering boat travel as a cheaper means of transport amid the ongoing oil crisis brought by the war in the Middle East.
This was one of the observations noted by the Regional Development Council (RDC) as it assessed the impact of the oil price surge in the daily lives of Eastern Visayas' residents.
RDC Chair and Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla said the ongoing fuel crisis is already reshaping mobility patterns and straining household and business budgets across the region.
The RDC reported that fuel pump prices have risen by at least 42.9 percent, with no immediate signs of stabilization, affecting transportation and the broader regional economy.
Some residents, for instance, now find it much cheaper to commute by ferry boat from Samar to Leyte than crossing the San Juanico Bridge.
Christal Ragobrio, a 22-year-old student from Basey, said rising diesel prices forced her family to abandon their usual motorcycle commute to Tacloban City.
Instead, her father now drops her off at San Antonio Port, where she takes a motor banca for the rest of the trip.
The 15-minute boat ride costs only P50—far cheaper than the hundreds of pesos previously spent on fuel—and is often faster and less crowded.
“It’s quicker, more comfortable, and not crowded,” she added.
However, she noted that sea travel becomes difficult during bad weather and when boat trips are limited.
Small business owners are making similar adjustments.
Rosito Abitona, a 39-year-old sari-sari store owner from Basey, said his fuel expenses for trips to Tacloban have more than doubled—from around P150 to as much as P500.
To cope, he now rides his motorcycle only up to the port and completes the journey by boat.
“The money I save on fuel goes back to my store. It helps me buy more products,” he said.
Both commuters said the shift to combined land-and-sea travel, while not always convenient, is the most practical option as long as fuel prices remain high.
(With report from PNA)
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