PAL readies ferry service from Kalibo to Boracay

MANILA, Philippines — Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) will soon offer a premium ferry service for tourists bound for Boracay from Kalibo, as it aims to provide a more comfortable mode of transportation going to the world-renowned tourist island.

The ferry service will be through PAL’s wholly owned subsidiary Mabuhay Maritime Express (MME) with two brand-new 42-meter catamarans.

MME unveiled yesterday its two 410-seater, high-speed catamarans named MV Malambing and MV Magalang. These two vessels will initially make four daily runs each and increase to eight by December.

The company did not disclose the exact date when the ferry operations will commence.

“We decided to join- and revolutionize- the inter-island ferry business, to complement local air travel as a holistic approach to promoting Philippine tourism,” MME president Jaime Bautista said.

“We aim to offer travelers a seamless air to sea transfer, taking passengers to their favorite tourist destinations as fast and as comfortable as possible,” added Bautista, who is also president and COO of PAL.

Bautista emphasized that travel time through the ferry to Boracay from the Kalibo airport will be cut to an hour an a  half compared to the usual two hours, which involves both land and sea transport.

The ferry service comes in a tri-class configuration offering economy, premium economy and first-class seats with prices ranging from P900 to P2500 for a one-way trip.

Bautista said the ferry service aims to target both local and international tourists, with foreign tourists mainly coming from China and Korea since PAL operates chartered flights from these countries to Boracay.

The company official expressed optimism for the Kalibo-Boracay ferry route.

“Boracay will continue to grow. The whole vicinity of Kalibo will also be developed,” Bautista said.

Asked if the company is looking at offering other routes for the ferry service and expanding its business, Bautista said they will first observe the operations of its maiden route.

“We will start with the two [vessels] and we will see,” Bautista said.

MME said it is building its own jetty port at Kalibo, 10 minutes away from the airport, where free shuttles are available for Boracay-bound passengers.