PCG on heightened alert during Holy Week

Philippine Coast Guard logo. (Photo from PCG/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday said it will be on heightened alert for this year’s Holy Week.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said their operating units will be on heightened alert from March 23 to April 3.

“This is to ensure the smooth operations of sea transport facilities, convenient sea travel, and safety of local and foreign tourists in major beaches and private resorts amid the anticipated increased volume of maritime traffic,” Gavan said in a statement.

Due to this alert, Gavan said PCG personnel will conduct 24/7 monitoring of nautical highways in western and eastern seaboards, including inter-island routes.

The western seaboard includes Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Aklan, Iloilo, and Zamboanga regions; while the eastern seaboard covers Manila, Bicol region, Samar, Leyte, and Surigao provinces.

Among the contingencies the PCG will conduct are the deployment of coast guard rescue and medical officers, auxiliary volunteers; as well as K9 units and security teams.

These personnel will be deployed to ensure a “zero maritime casualty” during the solemn holiday.

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Holy Week is the most solemn period in Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar when Christians commemorate the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago.—Ana Mae Malate, Inquirer.net intern