Stranded passengers at Manila port ask for food, water amid canceled trips due to Ursula

Stranded passengers who were bound for different provinces in Visayas and Mindanao asked for assistance in meeting their need for food and water as they wait for maritime trips to resume at a seaport in Manila.

According to a report by Isa Avendaño-Umali on GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Wednesday, many passengers who were supposed to be on their way home to Bacolod, Cebu, Iloilo, and Zamboanga welcomed Christmas Day at the North Port Passenger Terminal.

Their trips had been canceled due to the rough waves brought about by Typhoon Ursula. Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is raised over Metro Manila, according to PAGASA.

Lorena, one of the stranded passengers, was spotted waiting outside the port. Her three grandchildren were lying on a cover she spread over the cold concrete.

They decided to wait there until their rebooking schedule on December 30. Many of the stranded passengers at the terminal hailed from as far as Cavite, Bulacan, and Batangas, and leaving the port again would mean extra expenses for them.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Captain Armand Balilo also inspected the port to check the situation of the stranded passengers.

Food packs and tents are being prepared for the affected maritime travelers, according to him. — Dona Magsino/MDM, GMA News