Public advised to be at port terminals early

THE traveling public is advised to arrive at Cebu port terminals ahead of their departure to prevent congestion.

Glenn Sarador, chief of port of police at Cebu Ports Authority (CPA), said that they asked the shipping companies to allow early boarding for the passengers an hour or two before the schedule to decongest the terminals.

“We are reminding them to cooperate with us since the capacity is around in 1,000 people every terminal,” Sarador told Cebu Daily News.

Acting Cebu Station Commander Ensign Nelson Ngalew said that they would be expecting the start of the high influx of passengers at the ports.

As of yesterday, PCG recorded 17,236 outbound and 14,802 inbound passengers in Cebu. The normal figures are supposedly at 14,802 inbound and 17,236 outbound passengers.

PCG has also reminded the passengers to avoid overloading and colorum vessels to ensure their safety.

“Especially for the colorum (vessels), passengers will not have insurance in case of emergencies,” Ngalew said.

PCG personnel will conduct inspections before leaving the vessel to ensure no overloading will happen. A seaboard patrol operation is also conducted by the PCG to prevent colorum vessels from sailing.

Ngalew also mentioned that, especially on the case of Olango Island trips, they have placed streamers that identify authorized motorbancas that would operate there.

At present, only five authorized motorbancas are allowed to ferry passengers from Lapu-Lapu City going to Sta. Rosa Port in Olango Island.

PCG mostly canceled trips last month going to Olango Island because of colorum vessels.

Assistance desk

The PCG with the CPA and other agencies have placed an assistance desk in all ports in Cebu for “Oplan Ligtas Biyahe Undas.”

The assistance desk and the “Oplan Ligtas Biyahe Undas” started last October 20 since they anticipated for the schools’ semestral break.

“There are also medical personnel on standby in case of emergency. Security is also tightened. There are also augmented personnel from police,” Sarador said.

The public is also advised to report to the authorities any suspicious personalities spotted at the ports.

They are also advised not to bring bladed and sharp weapons, as well as guns in the ports.

Some passengers, however, bound for and coming from Manila, Tagbilaran, Ormoc and Cagayan de Oro City were seen starting to arrive at the Pier 1 passenger terminal in Cebu City yesterday.

But Maricel Pagod, a female guard at the Pier 1, told Cebu Daily News that they would be expecting more passengers today (Saturday) and on Sunday.

Pagod said that they have not experienced problems nor detected any security threats.

“The only concern we have at the moment is terminal congestion caused by too much number of passengers coming in here early to avoid being late for their travel or the surge of passengers,” Pagod said.