Coast Guard to deploy 25 personnel for Holy Week

By Cheneen R. Capon
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Davao Station commander Lieutenant Commander Dann August Cariño yesterday said he will be deploying at least 25 personnel to different piers in Davao City, the Island Garden City of Samal, and in Talikud Island during the Holy Week to secure the larger number of people who are expected to travel by boat.
Speaking in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw held at SM City Davao Annex, Cariño said people tend to go on vacation trips to beaches during the Lenten season.
“By Sunday, we expect that there will be a huge number of beach goers travelling from Davao City to Samal,” he said.
Cariño said the 25 PCG personnel will be deployed for crowd control and passenger assistance as part of the Oplan Semana Santa program of the coast guard.
“We will be deploying our personnel and PCG auxiliary forces to Davao-Samal Ferry pier in Panacan, Kilometer 11, Maywest, Blue Jazz, Davao Sasa Port, and Sta Ana Wharf,” he said.
PCG personnel will be also deployed in Kaputian and Talikud Island.
Aside from a passenger assistance center, there will be a medical team that will assist beachgoers and other passengers.
“We’ve already finished boat inspection last week. We will now focus on crowd control to avoid overloading of passenger in boats and ferries that are allowed to operate during the season,” Cariño said.
He reminded the public that the ferries and boats docking in Sta Ana Wharf and Km. 11 will be allowed to operate only until 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively during Holy Week.
Cariño said based on his records, Good Friday and Black Saturday are the busiest days because outgoing passengers will depart from Davao City to Samal, while passengers on their way home will start to arrive from Samal on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.
PCG’s six aluminum boats will also be deployed in the Davao Gulf to patrol and guard the passengers.
For her part, Belle Marquez of the safety services division of the Red Cross advised the public to bring hydration kits during their travel.
“Water is not enough. Make sure that you will bring beverages rich with electrolytes like Gatorade, among others,” Marquez said.
She said it is very important during the summer to bring refreshments because the heat of the sun may cause heat stroke.