Rising fuel costs are beginning to disrupt travel to island destinations in the Caraga Region, with shipping lines cutting trips and raising fares, the Department of Tourism 13 (DOT 13) said Friday.
“The increase in fuel costs starting March 2026 is expected to have a significant impact on maritime and air transportation operations in Caraga and across the country,” DOT-13 Regional Director Ivonnie Dumadag said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
She noted that several trips this week have been canceled by major shipping lines on the Surigao City-Siargao route.
“Other shipping lines have reduced sailing speed to conserve fuel or increase their rates altogether,” Dumadag added.
Earlier, Evaristo and Sons Sea Transport Corp. announced a temporary reduction in its scheduled trips to Siargao Island due to rising fuel costs.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding,” the company said in an advisory, urging passengers with advanced bookings to contact its office for rebooking.
Starting Friday, the company will operate only three morning trips from Surigao City to Dapa in Siargao Island: two fast crafts at 7:20 a.m. and 10 a.m., and a roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo vessel at 10:30 a.m. Afternoon fast craft trips from Dapa to Surigao City have been canceled.
Two fast craft trips from Dapa to Surigao City will continue in the mornings at 6 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., along with a Ro-Ro trip at 4 p.m.
Ro-Ro passenger trips from Surigao City to Magsaysay in Dinagat will also operate at 4:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., with return trips from Dinagat scheduled at 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, smaller passenger vessels operating between Surigao City and Siargao, Bucas Grande Islands, and within the Dinagat Islands have also announced fare adjustments, effective this week.
Dumadag warned that higher transportation costs could discourage travel demand and reduce visitor arrivals.
“Since island destinations in the region rely heavily on sea transport for tourism access, sustained increases in operational costs could directly affect tourist mobility, destination competitiveness, and the overall performance of the tourism sector in Caraga,” she said. (PNA)
