TACLOBAN CITY-Truck drivers stranded for over a week at Amandayehan Port in Basey, Samar are pinning their hopes on the successful start of operations by Santa Clara Shipping Corporation to finally reach Tacloban City.Hundreds of truckers from Luzon, lured by social media posts about the expected resumption of barge services across the San Juanico Strait, have been stuck at the port in Amandayehan village. Upon arrival, they discovered that operations had yet to begin, leaving them stranded with mounting daily expenses and delayed deliveries.
Jonathan De Borja, a driver delivering biscuits to a Tacloban shopping mall, expressed frustration as he watched his earnings dwindle while waiting at the port. He appealed to government agencies to expedite improvement works at the wharf following the successful trial docking of the LCT Adian Dowey on May 21.
“I hope the government hears the cries of drivers. Our families think we’re still earning, but our wages are being spent just to survive here,” he said in a Filipino.
He added: “The government should listen to drivers, not just make empty promises.”
Vinzon Alegan, another stranded driver en route to Zamboanga from Subic, acknowledged the efforts of local officials and government agencies who have provided food and basic assistance. However, he emphasized that enabling them to cross to Leyte is the most meaningful support they need.
“Authorities must work together to get us across. We’ve been delayed here for far too long,” he said, also in Filipino.
Alegan added that their prolonged stay is eating into their income and affecting their ability to support their families: “Some aid is being given, but our earnings are shrinking. How can we buy school needs for our children with classes about to start?”
During the trial docking, Santa Clara Shipping Corporation representative Joseph Go confirmed that Amandayehan Port is viable for their operations. However, he noted that improvements—such as reinforcing the ramp for smoother truck loading and unloading—are still needed.
Go said they are awaiting certification from the Philippine Ports Authority and the Maritime Industry Authority to begin full operations as soon as wharf upgrades are completed.
Amandayehan Port is a local government-run facility primarily used as a fish landing site. It previously served as a barge docking area during the rehabilitation of the San Juanico Bridge in the early 1990s.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
