Nakataas na sa heightened alert ang operating units ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) para sa nalalapit na Undas 2021 mula October 29 hanggang November 3, 2021.
Ayon kay PCG Commandant, CG Vice Admiral Leopoldo Laroya, inaasahan ang pagdami ng mga pasahero sa mga pantalan sa darating na weekend para mabisita ang mga mahal sa buhay sa probinsya.
Inaasahan din ang pagdagsa ng ilang fully vaccinated na indibiduwal sa mga kilalang tourist spot kasunod ng unti-unti pagbubukas nito.
“Coast Guard Districts conduct 24/7 operations to monitor nautical highways routes, especially in the Visayas where the majority of tourist destinations are now revamping local tourism,” pahayag ni Laroya.
Dagdag nito, “I have directed concerned units to ensure maritime security and safety in our western and eastern seaboards, as well as inter-island routes.”
Sinabi ng PCG Commandant na all-set na ang deployable response groups, kasama ang PCG Auxiliary.
Patuloy naman ang paalala ng PCG sa mga pasahero at lokal na turista na manatiling mapagmatyag upang maiwasan ang mga hindi inaasahang insidente.
“We have maritime safety inspectors in port terminals, law enforcement teams in strategic locations, maritime patrol teams in critical vicinity waters, and deployable response groups on standby for possible search and rescue missions,” saad ni Laroya.
Hinikayat din nito ang publiko na tignan ang mga ordinansa ng pupuntahang destinasyon dahil magkakaiba ang documentary at testing requirements ng mga local government unit.
Paiigtingin din ng PCG ang operasyon, katuwang ang Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) at Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), lalo na sa pagpapatupad ng 50-percent maximum capacity sa mga bangka alinsunod sa physical distancing.
Magsasagawa rin ang ahensya ng foot patrol sa mga tourist destination para maipaalala ang pagtalima sa minimum health standards.
“As much as we all want to finally recover from the negative impacts of the global pandemic, we are hoping that the general public will be more patient in complying with stricter measures in ports and tourist destinations for, at the end of the day, these regulations are in place to uphold their health and safety,” ani Laroya.
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