BRIDGE ALTERNATIVE. Commuters queue for boats in Basey, Samar on May 19, 2025, as San Juanico Bridge restrictions divert 3,600 daily passengers to maritime routes. Five vessels now ply the San Antonio-Tacloban route every 15 minutes. (PNA photo by Sarwell Meniano)
BASEY, Samar 鈥� Daily passenger traffic at this town鈥檚 coastal ports has surged to about 3,600 since May 15, as commuters avoid the load-restricted San Juanico Bridge connecting Samar and Leyte, officials said Monday.
The Philippine Coast Guard has reinforced its Basey substation to monitor the increased boat traffic between San Antonio village and Tacloban City.
Five passenger vessels now operate on the route every 15 minutes, each carrying between 120 and 150 passengers for a fare of P50 per trip.
鈥淎fter being stranded for two days, we moved here when we saw the new route online,鈥� said Jonathan Deborja, 35, a truck driver among roughly 100 vehicles queued at the roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) port in Amandayehan village.
Santa Clara Shipping launched a temporary Tacloban-Amandayehan service on May 17, though officials noted the Samar terminal still requires upgrades.
The three-ton limit on San Juanico Bridge, imposed after engineering assessments, has led to significant congestion on the Leyte side of the crossing.
鈥淭he boat is more convenient,鈥� said Rodalyn Udal, 42, a Tacloban resident, adding that the 15-minute sea trip is faster than navigating the bridge鈥檚 traffic bottleneck.
Truckers have been advised to take the alternative Calbayog-Ormoc route. Five RoRo vessels have been granted 30-day special permits to support interisland cargo and passenger movement.
Meanwhile, the Office of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and the Tingog Party-list have coordinated a multi-agency response to address the transportation disruptions.
In a statement Monday, Tingog Rep. Jude Acidre said the government has implemented several key interventions, including 24-hour free shuttle services for stranded passengers and the development of the
Amandayehan port to accommodate rerouted traffic.
鈥淲e鈥檙e working to ease the burdens of travelers while ensuring everyone鈥檚 safety,鈥� Acidre said.
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