Iconic Baguio swan boats repurposed to save lives in Cagayan

MANILA, Philippine — Baguio City’s swan boats are now not only a tourist attraction but also serve as a means of transportation to rescue residents greatly affected by the massive flood in Cagayan.

In a Facebook post by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Cordillera on Tuesday, it read that a proprietor of Burnham Park’s famous swan boats named Vivian Celso has decided to lend four pontoon boats and a swan boat to help those in distress.

“Though her business was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the boat owner did not hesitate to lend her source of livelihood to help our distressed ‘kakailyans’ in Cagayan,” the post read, referring to Celso.

According to the PNP, the boats can carry 10 persons at a time and are ideal as rescue boats “since the fiberglass hulls are not easily punctured compared to that of rubber boats.”

Cagayan is currently under a state of calamity as the province was submerged in a massive flood. [ac]

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