MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard is on full alert status starting this Wednesday in anticipation of the crowd swell in ports as people flock to the provinces to commemorate the annual All Saints’ Day on November 1, said Lieutenant Commander Algier Ricafrente, PCG spokesman.
The directive stemmed from Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas’ order to ensure the public’s safety, said Ricafrente.
Coast guard Public Assistance Centers (PAC) have been activated to ensure that assistance would be available to the public, said the PCG spokesman, adding that the PAC will be manned by members of the PCG, PCG Auxiliary (PCGA), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).
He said that coast guards would conduct mandatory pre-departure inspection to ensure that there would be no overcrowding or overloading of vessels. The inspection will also check if vessels arre in good condition prior to departure and to ensure that life-saving equipment are available on board.
Coast guard officers wearing civilian clothes will also be roaming ports and inspecting vessels, said Ricafrente.
Ricafrente said additional men and K9 dogs would be deployed as added security.
The PCG spokesman said that vessels operated by the PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) as well as the Vessel Traffic Monitoring System in Manila, Batangas and Cagayan de Oro would monitor movements of ships round-the-clock.