THE Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao (CGS-Southern Mindanao) reported that four fishermen from Mati City and one from Davao de Oro remain missing.
Commodore Philipps Soria, commander of CGS-Southern Mindanao, told reporters that as of 4 a.m. on August 25, the missing fishermen had not yet been found.
"We are still monitoring in case they took shelter in other coastal areas," he said.
Soria added that one fisherman was unable to return to his “mother banca,” and the Coast Guard continues its search efforts.
Although there are no gale warnings or weather disturbances in the area, the Coast Guard advised fishermen to exercise caution due to a low-pressure area (LPA) forming in the eastern Philippines.
"So sa atoang mangigisda kung pwede at kung kaya nga dili usa mugawas karun. I-limit lang natu ang pag adtu sa atoang mga kadagatan kay medyo dagko ang balod maong daghan ang nangawala (To our fishermen, if possible, please refrain from going out for now. Let’s limit our trips to the sea because the waves are quite strong, and many have already gone missing)," he said at Osmeña Park in Davao City.
The Coast Guard is also coordinating with barangays to increase visibility in coastal areas and discourage fishermen from venturing out during weather disturbances.
Over the long weekend, popular tourist destinations such as the Island Garden City of Samal, Mati City, and other beach resorts remained generally peaceful, according to CGS-Southern Mindanao.
Soria reminded local and foreign tourists, as well as families planning trips during the long weekend, to remain vigilant and plan their visits carefully due to the large crowds at tourist spots.
He assured the public that the Coast Guard has sufficient personnel on duty and remains on blue alert status since the start of the Kadayawan season. The office is also exploring plans to expand its coverage by installing additional stations and substations, particularly as the national office aims to establish substations in every coastal municipality. RGP