SMALL vessels and motorized boats carrying tourists to Bicol’s island tourist spots were already prohibited by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in anticipation of typhoon “Chedeng” after the state weather bureau raised a gale warning Thursday morning.
Lieutenant Archie Hicban, spokesman of PCG Bicol, said that this prohibition also covers fishing vessels which might be placed in danger as the typhoon slowly crawls toward Bicol’s shores.
He said local government units in Bicol and even tourists have already made the initiative of calling off trips to tourists’ spots like Calaguas Islands in Camarines Norte and Caramoan in Camarines Sur.
In Camarines Sur, he said tourists who wanted to go to Caramoan opted to travel by land instead of by sea in order to avoid the bad weather.
In Camarines Norte, Governor Edgar Tallado issued a “no sail policy” for small sea vessels traveling through its islands since Wednesday night in anticipation of the effects of “Chedeng,” he said.
He said the gale warning issued by Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) after waves with estimated height of 3.4 to 4.5 meters were noted in some areas of the region through the day.
He added that Pagasa noted a wind force of 62 to 63 kilometers per hour which produced rough to very rough sea conditions.
He explained that the gale warning forbids vessels of 250 gross tonnage or less from sailing if the weather condition in the area reached these indicators depending on the professional judgment or estimation of the commander of the local Coast Guard.
In Catanduanes, Hicban said the shipping lines that operates ferries there have already cancelled trips leaving from Virac and San Andres Port en route to Tabaco City port as of 1 p.m. Thursday in order to take shelter from the impending inclement weather.
Jessar Adornado, spokesman of Office of Civil Defense (OCD) 5, said Pagasa weather forecasts declared that storm signals might be raised over Bicol on Friday. Good weather will be experienced by Friday. AC