BALANGA CITY, Bataan -- At least 30 crew members of the two cargo vessels coming from China have undergone 14 days quarantine in the province as precautionary measures against Covid-19.
Lieutenant Airland Lapitan, Coast Guard Bataan Station commander, reported recently the said crew of the two cargo vessels.
“So far, meron tayong na-inspect na dalawang vessel galing China. Ang isa ay kaaalis lang sa Mariveles at ang isang natitira sa Nagbalayong, Morong na under quarantine,” Lapitan said.
The commander said MV BMC Catherine loaded with cement left Mariveles Monday after 14 days of quarantine while Vissai VCT 02, a crude oil tanker, was still in Morong as of Tuesday, February 11, undergoing quarantine, also for 14 days.
The two vessels whose last port of call was China have more or less 15 crews each, Lapitan said.
Mariveles and Morong are two of the 11 towns and one city in Bataan.
He said the Bureau of Quarantine issues clearance that becomes the basis for the Philippine Ports Authority and the Coast Guard to know that a certain vessel has been cleared and already quarantined and therefore safe.
He said that they are tasked in the strict monitoring of the arriving vessels and to make sure that these are equipped with clearance from the Bureau of Quarantine before anyone can board the boat.
Lapitan said that their responsibility has become bigger and stricter with the emergence of Covid-19.
“Nagbago talaga. Actually, naghigpit at very strict ang monitoring on every vessel na transiting sa area namin. At the same time, nagrerender kami ng situation report every six hours sa mother unit namin,” the commander said.
The report, he said, contains the name of the vessel, date of arrival in the port, current location and other status like if already boarded by quarantine officers. (Ric Sapnu)