For holy week: Coast Guard begins security preparations

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard in Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces had started laying out a 10-day security plan to be carried out during the observance of the Holy Week and Easter, from March 27 through April 6.

Ensign Cecille Romero Jimenez, head of the CGS-Dumaguete, on Thursday said, “We are strengthening our security measures and our number one priority is the safety of vessels, passengers and crew,”

The CGS-Dumaguete will deploy additional personnel, rubber and aluminum boats and K-9 dogs during these dates, said Jimenez, adding that her command had already coordinated with the Philippine Ports Authority in the city to ensure that sharp objects won’t slip through unnoticed at the passenger terminal.

The PPA now operates the X-ray machine and conducts body frisking of sea farers at the city port, while the CGS is conducting maritime patrols to check on unregistered or “colorum” motor bancas sailing off during the Holy Week, as well as on people flocking to the beaches on or before Easter Sunday, Jimenez said.

The CGS-Dumaguete also has on standby a Quick Response Team, the personnel of which were trained on water search and rescue, as well as on scuba diving, she said.

Jimenez said her command had set up public assistance centers in the ports in Siquijor province and those in Negros Oriental—Dumaguete City, Sibulan, Tandayag in Amlan, Guihulngan City and Malatapay in Maluay of Zamboanguita town.

More CGS personnel will be sent to Malatapay to check and stop overloading of passengers in motor bancas or bigger boats sailing to Apo Island of Dauin town that will be celebrating its annual fiesta on April 4, with a fluvial procession.  — Judy Flores Partlow (FREEMAN)