2GO lines up new route in Mindanao

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May 26, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Shipping giant 2GO Group Inc. is planning to expand its passenger reach in Mindanao to provide Filipinos with a cheaper option when going to tourist destinations in the island.

2GO is mounting a new service to a popular destination in Mindanao by June, seeing opportunity in the demand for this route currently served largely by airlines.

2GO senior assistant vice president and head of travel Francis Chua said flying to this destination right now is costly, and the company wants to offer a cheaper way of reaching it.

Initially, 2GO will sail to this route on a once a week basis, as it wants to see first how Filipinos would take the option of coming to it by sea. Notably, Chua said this destination recently had its port upgraded to fit larger vessels and attract more tourists.

Last year, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) completed the P620.64-million cruise terminal in the Port of Jubang, which serves surfing haven Siargao. The PPA built a cruise facility in Siargao to draw high-end ships to dock in the island.

So far, Chua said 2GO is performing well this year, growing its passenger volume by 12 percent in the first quarter compared to a year ago.

Further, 2GO is recording an 81-percent load factor during this peak season, meaning eight in 10 seats are booked across its vessels.

The shipper, owned largely by the Sy family, expects to sustain its 12 percent growth for the rest of the year on the back of rising demand for inter-island trips.

Chua said Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu are driving the bulk of the company’s growth this year. Surprisingly, 2GO is seeing higher-than-projected demand for its newest routes Davao and General Santos City.

2GO also plans to resume services in the Port of Batangas once it retrieves one of its ships from maintenance. From Batangas, the shipper will mount trips to Caticlan, the gateway to Boracay.

Currently, 2GO operates a fleet of eight vessels, of which seven are large and one is medium.

In 2024 the company brought in a new ship named MV Masigla in line with efforts to expand its capacity for future demand.