PCG to use jet skis for search, rescue ops during floods

MANILA, Philippines — With merely days before the end of the summer season, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will be using its 20 newly acquired jet skis to wade through floodwaters for inland search and rescue (SAR) operations.

When the PCG purchased the new jet skis or personal watercraft from Canada, they hoped it would arrive during the first quarter of this year, in time for the start of the summer season.

“These jet skis along with the aluminum boats would have been used for our Baywatch (patrol), for SAR at the beaches in Boracay, Palawan, Cebu and Bohol,” PCG commandant Admiral Elson Hermogino said yesterday.

The procurement delay, however, pushed back the delivery of the jet skis to this month.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had earlier said the rainy season might begin the first or second week of June.

Hermogino, though, said the change of the season is not a problem.

“Just in case, even during rainy season, these jet skis could still be used in flood-prone areas,” he said, adding that the slender build of the jet skis would make it easier for them to be deployed to flooded narrow streets.

The jet skis were part of the boats and assets procured by the PCG using its General Appropriations Act budget for 2018.

The PCG spent P1.6 billion to buy 20 jet skis with maximum speed of 40 knots; 20 aluminum boats with maximum speed of 20 knots; 12 units of seven-meter rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) of which only one has been delivered, with the other 11 arriving before the end of the year.

Hermogino said these new assets would be distributed to their stations and sub-stations as part of their capability enhancement program.

Later this year, the maritime agency would also have additional 73 units of rubber boats.

The aluminum boats and RHIBs were manufactured by Pacificfortia Marine Technologies Inc., the rubber boats with outboard motor by ALS Marine Center Corp. and the personal watercraft by Scan Marine Inc.