THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Cebu Station yesterday said they will review today the security measures within the seawaters off Cebu.
Commander Alvin Dagalea, Cebu Coast Guard Station (CCGS) chief, said they don’t want security measures to be limited to the prevention of crimes and terrorism, but to include the safety of sea travelers.
Last Sunday, a fire hit MV Lite Ferry 28 owned by Lite Shipping Corp. while it was headed to Argao, southern Cebu from Bohol. It caught fire while it was traversing the seawaters off Barangay Taloot.
No one was hurt. Dagalea attributed this to the quick response of the crew of MV LCT Miami, a barge, that was docked in Argao port.
Dagalea invited owners and operators of vessels and motorized bancas to attend the Maritime Summit that will be held today at the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) so they will know all maritime laws and regulations.
Colorum
Dagalea also said they are open to registering colorum vessels as long as their owners will follow all the requirements mandated by law.
He said the maritime summit seeks to address, among others, the problem on colorum vessels, and to educate the stakeholders on the regulations to avoid accidents or being victimized by criminals and terrorists.
Those who already expressed intent to attend the summit today are the officials of the CPA, Maritime Industry Authority, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Philippine Maritime Group, and representatives from the different cities and municipalities.
“In this summit, the owners and operators of vessels, including motorized bancas, will know their capacity to transport people and cargoes,” Dagalea said. (EOB)