Maayo Shipping, Inc.

It was in 1976 when Maayo Shipping, Incorporated was established. It was founded by it’s patriarch, Martin Matiao.

During his reign, the company acquired a wooden ferry boat named M/B twin sister whose route was then from Jilocon to Bato. It was a means of carrying cargoes and passengers from the island of Cebu to Negros Island and vice versa.

The distance and the flow of cargoes did not require a regular schedule in as much as the flow of cargoes was not heavy and the boat could only load one vehicle at a time. They rented an area in Jilocon for a docking ramp to serve as wharf.

With perseverance and an optimistic attitude, Martin managed to negotiate to buy at San Jose another ferry boat to add the existing one.

Upon the death of Martin, their father, the management was passed over to Wilcox, the 5th child.

The demand for public for public conveyance was enormous that lead the company to purchase LCM Tampi Twin. Unlike the others, this was built with steel.

It was in the early 1980’s that Maayo Shipping Incorporated acquired the land in Tampi of about 3,819 sq. meters more or less.

As the company progressed it purchased LCT Bato Twin to meet the demand of the public as well as the growing transport business. LCT Bato Twin was a bigger steel hulled barge that can ferry four-six wheeler trucks.

The untimely demise of Wilcox in 1991 brought the company into a crisis. However, the uncles convinced Dante, the eldest grandson whose childhood years was in constant company with his Lolo in his various businesses.
Dante who was greatly influenced by his lolo consented to accept the position.

On the first year, Dante constructed his first barge named LCT Tampi Twin, a big leap for the company that improved the facilities and convenience of the riding public. This barge is big enough which can load 4-10 wheeler trucks including utility vehicles as it’s maximum capacity. Cebu then was made very accessible both to the tourist and businessmen alike. This contributed immensely to the progress of the Company as well as to the growth and development of the islands of Cebu and Negros.

The necessity to improve facilities prompted the company to invest in more barges to accommodate the public demand.

At present the company has six(6) barges, LCT Tampi Twin, LCT Bato Twin and LCT Martin which can accommodate 4-10 wheelers each while LCT Giok Chong, LCT Georgia and LCT Tampi Twin 1 can load 4-10 wheelers and two (6) wheeler trucks.
Each barge can ferry more than a hundred passengers. To assist the passengers and vehicle owners in their trips, regular schedules have been published and adopted by the company.

The company then added another level to it’s existing structure in order to cater to it’s regular passengers.
With the continued increase of traffic of passengers and cargoes, the company invested on a terminal building that can accommodate waiting passengers for their scheduled trips. This provides a waiting lounge where passengers can relax, an eating area and clean comfort rooms.

In June 2006, the company invested on the cementing and concreting of it’s premises with the continued expansion of it’s docking ramp and loading area.