Passengers on open-deck vessels now required to wear life vests

A new circular will now require passengers of boats and ships to wear life jackets even before they set sail.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) acting spokesman Lt. Gary Dale Gimotea said the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) issued Circular No. 2008-08 covering the “Rules to implement safety measures for passenger ships with open deckhouse.”

The order, which took effect yesterday, was addressed to all ship owners and operators of passenger ships.

One of the specific provisions of the order is that “the crew shall distribute life jackets and safety instruction leaflets on the proper wearing of life jackets and the use of other life saving appliances prior to departure of the ship.”

“The number of leaflets must correspond to the number of authorized passenger capacity.”

Previously, ship owners and captains were the only ones required to wear life jackets to demonstrate how to use these. This time, passengers would have to wear them even before the vessel leaves port,” Gimotea said.

The Marina circular was issued as a result of three maritime accidents involving motorized bancas with outriggers such as the M/B Don Dexter in Masbate wherein 42 persons died, the M/B Mae Jan in Cagayan wherein 47 drowned, and M/B Roliv in Iloilo.

In areas where there are no PCG personnel, the local government unit, Philippine Navy, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, and Marina would undertake the responsibility.

Gimotea said that this rule should be strictly enforced regardless of the distance of the voyage and the weather condition because one would not know when disaster would strike.  – Evelyn Macairan