Castilla-Masbate fastcraft launched

WARM RECEPTION. Barangay Poblacion Chair Alex Sotto of Castilla, Sorsogon and his barangay officials welcome the arrival of Island of Calaguas fast craft from Cebu. REDENCION DE LEOZ

CASTILLA, Sorsogon --- The mayor of this town, Isagani Bong Mendoza, announced the arrival last August 16, of ‘Island of Calaguas’, a fast craft sea vessel from Cebu City for its test run and eventual inaugural trip from Castilla to Masbate and vice versa, and hopefully from Castilla to Cebu and vice versa, if deemed feasible.

The Island of Calagus, a yacht looking vessel, is owned and operated by Shogun Ships, Co. Inc. that secured the license from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to run the said Sorsogon-Masbate sea route.

In the absense of Mendoza, who was attending an important matter in Manila, Poblacion Barangay Chairman Alex Sotto gave a warm welcome to the arriving crew of the fast craft and officials of Shogun whose sea trip from Cebu took almost eleven hours to Castilla.

Sotto said that based on their initial conversation with the ship captain, the fast craft can accommodate 183 passengers and cruise the Castilla-Masbate route in one hour and thirty minutes, more or less.

Mendoza said that he will personally ride the fast craft together with municipal and barangay officials and members of the media asossonas he arrived from Manila to test run the fast craft to neighboring towns from Castilla and maybe Ticao Islands in Masbate.

Sotto revealed that Shogun has yet to advise them of the fare rates for the Castilla-Masbate route.

Mendoza is optimistic that with the new route to Masbate, economic activities in both areas will be spurred and that mainlanders can now easily visit Masbate and go around its various tourist destinations. Opinyon Bicol Dispatch