OceanJet is facing scrutiny on two fronts: a government-ordered cleanup of sanitation, safety, and crew welfare violations aboard one of its Bohol-route vessels, and a provisional fare hike on key Visayas routes as fuel prices continue to surge amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) directed OceanJet to address multiple deficiencies aboard M/V Ocean Jet 10 following a formal complaint filed by Trinidad, Bohol Vice Mayor Joan Robie Cajes-Imboy, who personally witnessed rodents, foul odors, obstructed emergency exits, and crew members sleeping inside the vessel during a round-trip voyage on the Cebu-Getafe run on March 27, 2026.
The developments come as OceanJet separately implemented a fare increase on April 10, 2026 on select routes, including Cebu-Tagbilaran and vice versa.
Tourist accommodation fares on that route rose to P1,000 from P800, while business class tickets climbed to P1,560 from P1,200.
The company said the increase is authorized under MARINA Advisory 26-10, which allows shipping lines to impose provisional fare adjustments as fuel costs rise. It is the second fare hike OceanJet has implemented since fuel prices began escalating due to Middle East tensions.
Oceanjet earlier imposed a fuel surcharge on top of base fares and assured the public that ticket prices will be rolled back once fuel costs stabilize.
The twin developments — safety violations and rising fares — place OceanJet under heightened public scrutiny at a time when inter-island ferry passengers in the Visayas, many of whom are daily commuters with no alternative to sea travel, are already absorbing the broader cost pressures of the fuel crisis.
Cajes-Imboy’s complaint, filed March 30 with MARINA Regional Office VII, prompted a safety investigation and validation inspection just two days later, on April 1, at Pier 1, Port of Cebu City — a response turnaround the vice mayor publicly commended.
In her complaint letter to MARINA Regional Director Engr. Ronaldo P. Bandalaria, Cajes-Imboy recounted boarding the vessel at around 10 a.m. and immediately detecting a strong foul odor she described as a mixture of diesel fumes and urine.
She observed foam beds and piled crew supplies stored within the passenger accommodation area, obstructing pathways to emergency exits.
On the return trip from Getafe to Cebu at around 6:45 p.m., she witnessed two rodents rummaging through supplies beneath passenger seats and found the vessel’s QR-based passenger complaint mechanism non-functional.
When she raised the matter with the chief mate, the officer confirmed the piled items were vessel supplies and acknowledged that crew members used the foam beds to sleep aboard the ship after trips concluded — an admission that Cajes-Imboy said pointed to a crew accommodation and labor welfare violation beyond routine poor housekeeping.
MARINA’s April 8 response outlined findings and corrective directives across five areas.
On sanitation and pest control, OceanJet had already conducted a comprehensive pest control treatment on March 31.
On stowage compliance, while the vessel generally met baggage requirements, MARINA found that adequate signage prohibiting baggage placement along aisles and emergency exits was absent — a gap flagged as a potential obstruction hazard.
On crew welfare, MARINA noted that the vessel is classified as a fast craft with no designated crew quarters onboard and directed the company to provide shore-based accommodation for personnel under Section IV, Item 6 of MARINA Circular SC-2022-01.
On the complaint system, the QR mechanism was found functional during the inspection, with the earlier failure attributed to temporary downtime.
On the reported odor, MARINA linked the smell to the vessel’s ventilation and exhaust configuration during port operations and recommended a review during the next scheduled dry-docking.
Cajes-Imboy said her concern extended beyond passenger comfort to the welfare of workers aboard the ship, and urged the public to raise legitimate complaints through proper channels rather than through confrontation.