INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
LUCENA CITY — A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official in Southern Tagalog has ordered all personnel to intensify coastal surveillance and patrols to search for the five fishermen who went missing this November.
On Sunday, the PCG-District Southern Tagalog (DST) reported that two fishermen from Quezon province and another three from Oriental Mindoro province had gone missing since Nov. 18 while engaged in separate fishing ventures.
The search operations to locate the missing fishers were suspended due to adverse weather and sea conditions.
Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, PCG-District Southern Tagalog (PCG-DST) commander, emphasized the need “for swift and collaborative responses to missing fishermen reports.”
“This aims to address the root causes of such incidents, thereby fostering a safer maritime environment in the Southern Tagalog region,” Tuvilla said in a statement issued Sunday afternoon.
Authorities have advised local fisherfolk and coastal residents to be on the lookout for the missing fishermen and to immediately report to the authorities once they are found.
He urged PCG units in the region to closely engage with coastal communities and establish regular dialogues to better understand their needs and concerns.
“Strengthening interagency collaboration with local government units and relevant agencies is a must,” he stressed.
He also ordered local PCG stations to streamline information sharing and coordination during maritime emergencies and conduct specialized training for effective response protocols in all reported incidents. INQ
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