By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A gale warning was issued yesterday morning for the entire Western Visayas, which forced the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to again cancel sea trips between Bacolod City and Iloilo City. PCG-Bacolod station commander, Lieutenant Rockcliff Buling, said all vessels below 250 gross tonnage are barred from leaving port.
The PCG official said two vessels from ferry companies OceanJet Fast Ferries and Weesam Express were allowed to sail, although OceanJet has since issued an advisory on its official social media page saying they have decided to cancel all trips between Iloilo City and Bacolod City until further notice.
Roll-on/Roll-off services between Bacolod City and Dumangas, meanwhile, remained normal throughout the day and there have been no reports of stranded passengers at the Bredco port.
Last Saturday, in response to heavy rains, as well as a series of sea mishaps that occurred in the  Iloilo Strait, Buling previously halted all sea travel in Negros Occidental.
He made the decision in order to avoid the possibility of similar incidents.
Normal trips resumed on Sunday until the latest travel suspension.
Meanwhile, data reported by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) showed the Western Visayas is expected to experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.
PAGASA said the region can also expect winds between 45 to 63 kilometers per hour, with sea conditions from rough to very rough, and wave heights measuring between 2.8 to 4.5 meters./DGB, WDJ