29/03/2026
Tara na .. kita kitsποΈποΈ
ππ¬,π¬π¬π¬ π§π’π¨π₯ππ¦π§π¦ ππ«π£πππ§ππ ππ‘ π¦ππ‘π§π ππ, πππ‘π§ππ¬ππ‘ ππ’π₯ ππ’ππ¬ πͺπππ
LOOK: Around 10,000 tourists are expected to flock to the town of Santa Fe on Bantayan Island this Holy Week season.
Alreen Jumar-Omang, Public Information Officer of Santa Fe, said that even as of today, the number of tourists has already increased, and they expect more to arrive in the coming days to spend the Lenten season on the island.
The occupancy rate of accommodation establishments is already at 70β80%.
βNaa pay uban nga establishments nga naa pay available as of today, but kasagaran gyud mga dagko nga resorts and hotels diri puno-puno na gyud, especially kon motongtong na ta og Holy Monday. Lahos na na siya hantod Semana Santa. But as of now, naa pa, letβs say mga 70 to 80 percent,β Omang said, encouraging visitors to come early if they are already free from work.
He also noted that room accommodation rates remain the same despite the fuel price hike.
βSame ra gihapon, wala pa sila mag-increase kay we think we are really welcoming ba with the tourists. Also, given nga nagkataas ang presyo sa gasolina, dili na pud ganahan nga mahal na sad gyud tanan kay, of course, wala nay mangari. They (resorts and hotels) understand pud sa sitwasyon sa mga tourists, sa mga tawo,β Omang said.
As for the ferry schedule going to Bantayan Island, Omang said that Aznar Shipping Corporation, which travels from Kawit, Medellin, to Santa Fe, has added two additional trips to accommodate more passengers.
On its page, the shipping company posted the updated schedule of its daily trips. From Kawit, Medellin, to Santa Fe, the trip schedules are 3:00 AM, 6:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM, 6:30 PM, and 11:00 PM.
Trips from Santa Fe to Kawit, Medellin, start at 1:30 AM, 5:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 4:30 PM, and 8:30 PM.
The two shipping companies operating from Hagnaya Port to Santa Fe Port have not yet announced if there will be additional trips this Holy Week season, according to Omang.
However, he encouraged tourists to check the tide schedule, especially during high tide.
βKung mag-tide man gud sa Hagnaya Port, dili man gud makalarga ang either Island Shipping or ang Shuttle Ferry kay dili makagawas ang mga sakyanan ug ang mga tawo. However, sa Kawit, wala ra, padayon ra ang byahe,β Omang said.
As for commodities, Omang said the LGU, through its price monitoring council, noted a slight price hike in some stores in Santa Fe.
The LGU also announced that the package tour rates for island-hopping activities have increased from P2,000 to P2,500 for five persons, effective today.
The updated rates include round-trip boat transfers, docking fees, ecological fees, and visits to three destinations.
Omang said they also received reports that some operators are charging P1,500 per head for island-hopping activities. He encouraged tourists to report such cases to the Municipal Tourism Office for appropriate action.
As part of Santa Feβs preparation for the influx of tourists this Lenten season, the LGU conducted two inter-agency meetings with the police, coast guard, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), other government agencies, and barangays for Oplan Semana Santa 2026.
At the Santa Fe Port, the tourism office, together with the Cebu Port Authority (CPA), has set up entrance and exit routes to ensure smooth traffic flow. The LGUβs traffic operations management has also installed traffic signages and designated areas.
At the beach area, trash bins have been placed to ensure proper waste disposal. Omang encouraged tourists to manage their garbage properly and dispose of it in designated areas.
In terms of security and safety, the Philippine National Police, through its tourist police, are on 24-hour standby and are conducting foot patrols in key tourist areas in Santa Fe.
The LGU is also coordinating with cybercrime units and police authorities to monitor online booking scams.
Omang encouraged tourists to always verify the resorts or hotels where they book their reservations to avoid falling victim to scams. He advised tourists to be cautious of offers that seem too good to be true and to contact the Municipal Tourism Office of Santa Fe before making payments.
| RCO
