EDITORIAL - Some people just never learn

The front page photos of this paper yesterday were both revealing and instructive. They showed, in one picture, bigger interisland vessels held in port because of a typhoon threat. In the other picture, much smallers boats, mere outriggers, prepared to take chances and sail.

The pictures were revealing because they showed both the extent to which the Philippine Coast Guard can actually monitor the situation and enforce its directive. And they were also intructive because they showed the extent to which people would try and tempt the fates.

We congratulate the Coast Guard for swiftly ordering ships bound for storm-threatened areas to stay in port. And we likewise extend the same congratulations to shipping companies for their prudence in complying with the orders.

But we are shocked by the careless disregard for safety exhibited by the smaller boats in insisting to sail despite the threat of bad weather. As one of the pictures clearly showed, waves were beginning to get big as one outrigger hurriedly prepared to sail.

Indeed, at least one small boat was reported to have capsized later. But given the unwillingness to heed lawful warnings and the willingness to take chances, it may be considered quite lucky that accidents were fewer that they could have been.

To be sure, boatmen already consider themselves experts in what they do. And to be sure also, they must know more that most people ever can about the weather. But conventional wisdom, upon which these boatmen just as surely rely, is eventually no match for modern technology.

And while our weather bureau admittedly does not have the kind of sophisticated pieces of equipment that most weather bureaus the world over have, what it has is still decidedly more trustworthy than just looking up and trying to read meanings in the sky.

In other words, there is still a need for such agencies as the Coast Guard to step up its monitoring even more in light of the fact that there are still just some sectors who would rather tempt the fates than suffer the minor inconvenience of being stranded on dry land.

And maybe, since these smaller craft like outriggers still need to secure licenses or permits from the Coast Guard, swift revocation of their sailing authority can be resorted to for every weather-related infraction. Only by being strict can these people toe the line.