Travelers taking ferries from Cebu to several destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao will have to set aside more for transportation as OceanJet introduces a 10-percent fuel surcharge amid higher global oil prices.
The adjustment covers routes such as Cebu-Tagbilaran, Cebu-Getafe, Cebu-Ormoc and Cebu-Maasin, along with other interisland services operated by the company.
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New Fares Took Effect Sept. 21
Passengers on the Cebu-Tagbilaran route now pay P960 for tourist/open-air accommodation and P1,440 for business class. Cebu-Getafe fares are P540 for tourist/open air and P960 for business class.
For Cebu-Ormoc, the fare is now P1,320 for tourist/open air and P1,920 for business class. The same rates apply to Cebu-Maasin at P1,320 for tourist/open air and P1,920 for business class.
Other routes have also received adjusted fares. Tagbilaran-Siquijor now costs P960 for tourist/open air and P1,440 for business class, while Tagbilaran-Dumaguete is P1,080 and P1,680, respectively. Dumaguete-Siquijor fares are P420 for tourist/open air and P700 for business class.
Meanwhile, passengers traveling between Iloilo and Bacolod now pay P660 for tourist/open air and P960 for business class. Maasin-Surigao fares are P960 for tourist/open air and P1,440 for business class.
The new ferry fares took effect on Monday, Sept. 21. OceanJet said the surcharge is temporary and will be lifted once fuel prices stabilize. The fare advisory was notified to and received by the Maritime Industry Authority Regional Office 7 on Sept. 16.
Fuel Prices Add Pressure on Transport Costs
The ferry fare adjustment comes as international oil prices continue to climb amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Domestic fuel prices are also expected to increase this week, with reports indicating that diesel prices could rise by P10 to P10.50 per liter and gasoline prices by P4.50 to P5 per liter, based on Asian market price developments and foreign exchange movements as of Thursday.
Those projected increases are higher than the adjustments recorded this week. Department of Energy (DOE) data showed gasoline prices increased by P4.69 per liter, diesel by P5.18 and kerosene by P5.58.
Concerns over possible disruptions to global oil supplies have contributed to the increase, particularly following attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, two major oil transit routes. The DOE earlier said oil prices could continue to rise as the Middle East crisis persists.
The agency has also assured the public that domestic fuel supply remains above regulatory requirements. Subsidies continue to be provided to qualified beneficiaries, including public utility vehicle drivers.
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