MANILA: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has boosted its anti-overloading response as part of heightened alert to ensure maritime passenger safety during the Holy Week.
In an interview over Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon on Wednesday, PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said each PCG station has been instructed to perform manual checks on every passenger ship and boat to prevent overloading.
‘Kung meron making sobra, dapat pababain at kung magpilit ang mga barko o bangka, dapat hindi paalisin at i-detain (If there are excess passengers, they will be asked to leave, and if the vessel refuses to comply, they will not be allowed to travel and will be detained),’ Balilo said.
The PCG, he said, is working with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to coordinate their security measures, and has deployed more personnel to address the expected influx of passengers in these maritime gateways.
‘Meron tayong mga dinagdag na tauhan, mga K9 units at meron din tayong sea marshals
na sumasama sa lahat ng barkong umaalis sa buong Pilipinas para mag-monitor sa kanilang biyahe at makarating ng safe sa kanilang paroroonan (We have added more personnel, K9 units, and we have sea marshals that will travel on every vessel that depart within the country to monitor their journey and ensure they reach their destination),’ he added.
To date, Balilo said the number of maritime passengers in the country’s ports has been increasing but is less than their expectations so far.
‘Ine-expect natin na ito’y dadami pa ngayong hapon sapagkat alam naman po natin na wala ng pasok ngayong alas dose (We expect this to increase this afternoon because of the work suspension for government workers at 12 p.m.),’ he said.
From 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, the PCG monitored a total of 64,179 outbound passengers and 55,719 inbound passengers in all ports nationwide.
A total of 3,395 frontline personnel have been deployed in 15 PCG districts and have inspected 639 vessels and 1,077 motor bancas.
Source: Philip
pines News Agency