Gov. Manuel Sagarbarria is asking the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to act on complaints of “ticket fixers” at the Dumaguete Port that is damaging Negros Oriental’s reputation as a tourist-friendly destination.
Sagarbarria issued the call in a letter to Rey Del Moro Jr., acting port manager of the Port Management Office of Negros Oriental and Siquijor, and John Lester Pitogo, chief officer of the MARINA Dumaguete Extension Office, on Friday, May 16.
The Negros Oriental governor said he is deeply concerned about recent complaints from the traveling public about the problem of “ticket fixers” at the Dumaguete Port.
“This issue has been particularly pronounced for vessels departing from Dumaguete City to other destinations, especially Siquijor and Dapitan,” he said.
Reports indicate that travelers are being forced to engage “fixers” to purchase tickets from shipping lines, Sagarbarria said.
This practice has resulted in legitimate passengers being told that vessels are fully booked, only to discover later that seats remain available through these unauthorized channels, he said.
In some instances, travelers have reported waiting for hours, missing scheduled departures, and being forced to pay fixers for tickets that should have been readily available at standard rates, he added.
This situation is severely impacting tourism in Negros Oriental, Sagarbarria said.
“We have received feedback that travelers from other places are now actively avoiding Dumaguete as a gateway, preferring to use alternative ports to reach destinations like Siquijor,” he said.
“The resulting negative perception is damaging our province’s reputation as a tourist-friendly destination and is causing economic harm to our local businesses that depend on tourism,” he said.
“Our economic team forecasts an annual loss in tourism revenue due to this problem,” Sagarbarria said.
The governor asked the PPA and the MARINA to provide the provincial government with detailed information on the specific measures implemented to address this issue, as well as any additional steps planned to resolve it permanently.
If nothing is done, he will request the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to hold public hearings so that the travelling public can be heard and measures to stop the anomalous practice can be put in place, the governor said.
The governor said he will also ask the Dumaguete City government and the province’s Congressional representatives to act on the matter, including the conduct of investigative hearings in aid of legislation.*