New Ferry, Bus Service For Cebu Commuters To Hit Mactan Airport In 35 Minutes

Government regulators are set to approve a new ferry and bus service that allows commuters from the Cebu mainland to reach the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in 35 minutes.

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said it will issue a special permit to Ocean Fast Ferries Inc. for them to operate Oceanjet from Pier 1 in Cebu City to a wharf near Anton’s restaurant in Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City.

The new service, utilizing fastcrafts used to ferry passengers from Cebu to nearby islands such as Bohol, held a dry run Monday in preparation for the total closure of the first Mandaue-Mactan bridge for repairs.

The Oceanjet fastcraft only took 30 minutes to get from Pier 1 in Cebu City to Pusok in Lapu-Lapu City, followed by a five-minute bus ride to the Mactan airport.

Marina 7 Legal Officer Jose Cabatingan said it will be up to the company to decide how much to charge because fares in the shipping sector have been deregulated.

Cabatingan said he was optimistic the Oceanjet management would set a reasonable fare.

He said Metro Ferry, which travels between Pier 1, Cebu City and Muelle Osmeña in Lapu-Lapu City, is charging PHP13 one-way.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) implemented a PHP129-million repair of the bridge since the first week of February.

But it held in abeyance the total closure of the bridge from vehicular traffic until the end of classes to avoid severe traffic congestion.

Motorists and commuters traveling from the Cebu mainland to Lapu-Lapu City in Mactan Island were caught in up to four hours of traffic when one lane of the bridge was closed to traffic at the start of the bridge repairs.(PNA) FFC/EB/EDS