Police, force multipliers secure Cebu City ports as Kalag-kalag travelers head home

Cebu City Passenger Terminal 1 on October 31, 2021

CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 6 policemen and 10 force multipliers from Task Force Kasaligan have been deployed to secure Cebu City’s ports as more travelers head home for Kalag-kalag celebrations.

Police Captain Edgar Labe, Waterfront Police Station chief, whose areas of jurisdiction include the Cebu City ports 1, 2, and 3, said that the police deployment would be until next week depending on the situation if it would be back to normal.

He assured that yesterday, October 30, and today, October 31, the situation had been manageable though they have recorded an increase in arriving passengers in the early morning.

Port Police Inspector Jose Jupiter Orzales, for his part, said that this was a daily situation in this port to have many arriving passengers, especially around 6 a.m. 

In most cases, around 10:00 a.m., Orzales said the passengers would slowly reduce in number.

However, he was not able to provide a rough estimate of individuals who arrived at Pier 1.

“Magmatter gyud na siya sa time kay early in the morning, mga approximately 6 a.m., magdungan man gud nang tulo, Tagbilaran, Camotes, ug Ormoc,” Orzales said.

(The time matters because early in the morning, at about 6 a.m., three vessels from three different areas namely Tagbilaran, Camotes, and Ormoc would simultaneosly start boarding passengers.)

“Unya mao na nga ang influx sa passengers nato mura og na at once ba, nadungan. Dili ra man na as per gahapon, mao gyud na ang daily nga situation. As of this time, mga past 10, mingawmingaw na gyud siya,” Orzales added.

(That is why the influx of our passengers happen at once, they come at the same time. This is not just an incident yesterday, this is the daily situation here. As of this time, at past 10, it is already deserted. No more crowds.)

Orzales further said that they had made sure that passengers inside the terminal follow the health protocols such as social distancing and wearing of face masks. 

He also said that the local police deployed in the area had helped them since the police would be in charge of the people outside of the terminal, specifically in ticketing stations.

Orzales said that they anticipate the same situation in the coming days because of the coming Christmas season as well as the easement of the restrictions. 

As they have prepared for this, Orzales said that there were no major problems aside from some minor disagreements between personnel and passengers.

He also said that there were seven port policemen deployed in the Cebu City ports.

Orzales also appealed to passengers to be more disciplined and have patience in the guidelines implemented at the ports.

RELATED STORIES

RT-PCR, rapid antigen tests no longer needed for Cebu inbound travellers