Transportation dep’t’s agencies like MCIAA under heightened alert for yuletide season

Members of the Department of Transportation-Regional Management Council in Central Visayas meet to discuss security measures for the holiday season. | Futch Anthony Inso

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Agencies under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) are now placed under heightened alert to ensure the safety of passengers this Yuletide season.

The move is in line with the implementation of the DOTr’s Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Pasko 2019.

These include the agencies that make up the DOTr-Regional Management Council in Central Visayas (DOTr-RMC-7) which include the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority, the Cebu Port Authority, the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas (PCG-7) and Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) among others.

Mary Ann Demabayao, MCIAA information officer, told reporters that they had already installed a help desk in the airport to cater to complaints and queries from the passengers.

The MCIAA will also provide Malasakit Help Kits to passengers whose flights will be delayed or stranded.

“A Malasakit help kit contains biscuits, hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol, towels, facial tissues and hand fans,” Demabayao said.

The PCG-7 will also deploy K9 units in the airport capable of sniffing contrabands such as narcotics and pork meat products that might be contaminated with the African Swine Fever (ASF).

MCIAA General Manager Steve Dicdican has encouraged passengers to come earlier to the airport for their scheduled flights. | Futch Anthony Inso

MCIAA General Manager Steve Dicdican, who also chairs the DOTr-Regional Management Council in Central Visayas (DOTr-RMC-7), also encouraged passengers to come earlier to the airport before their scheduled flights in order to avoid delays and being caught on traffic.

“For domestic flights, passengers should be at the airport two hours before their schedule and four hours before their schedule for international flights,” Dicdican said.

He revealed that MCIA has about 30,000 to 35,000 passengers daily. 

This Christmas season, passenger traffic has increased by 20 percent.

The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) has also recorded a 200 percent increase of passengers from their daily traffic of 5,000 passengers.

Senior Superintendent Glenn Sarador, acting manager for CPA Port Security, also warned passengers against bad elements who might take advantage of the situation.

Sarador said revealed that this month, they’ve arrested two women who were members of the “Budol-budol” gang who tried to victimize passengers.

The incident was caught on CCTV.

“They are a group of beautiful women. You’ll never thought that they are swindlers,” Sarador said.

Meanwhile, the DOTr-RMC-7 is also composed of the Maritime Police, Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA-7), Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and Cebu Port Authority (CPA) among others.