For Papal visit Tacloban seas declared “no sailing zone”

CEBU, Philippines - The seas or the bays along or surrounding the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport, also known as the Tacloban City Airport, are declared no sailing zones for three days before and during the visit of Pope Francis in Leyte.

Chief Superintendent Asher Dolina, director of the Police Regional Office- 8, told reporters in a press conference at the headquarters in Palo town, said no one will be allowed to sail the portion of Cancabato Bay, fronting or near the airport and also around the sea at the eastern part of the airport. No one will also be allowed to dock anywhere along the shores surrounding or near the airport, he added.

Dolina said that, during the sailing ban, the Coast Guard and the Maritime Police will be patrolling the seas and arrest those who will violate by entering the prohibited areas.

Declaring the areas as no sailing zones is part of the security preparations being made by the security forces to secure the pope, said Dolina, adding that more security personnel will be deployed to the shores, surrounding the airport.

Dolina said the shores will also be used as exit points for medical emergencies and that, based on the plans, boats here will carry patients directly to the Balyu-an port, fronting the City Hall, where ambulances will be on standby to transport patients to the Eastern Visayas Medical Center or other hospitals in the city.

All the pilgrims will be allowed only to enter the airport for the Papal Mass, via the jump-off point at Barangay Manlurip in San Jose district, this city, he said.

Dolina added that pilgrims with motorboats from coastal areas will land or dock their vessels in San Jose, or outside the no-sailing zone. From there, security personnel will usher them to Barangay Manlurip where they will hike for about two kilometers to the airport.  (FREEMAN)