Heightened alert in all ports in Cebu starts April 10

Ports officials expect a surge of traveller during the Holy Week celebration. | CDN File Photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Health and safety protocols will be strictly enforced in the different ports in Cebu as the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) anticipates the surge of travelers who may want to go home to their provinces or take their most awaited vacation during the Holy Week break.

In an advisory released on Tuesday morning, April 5, 2022, CPA said heightened alert in all ports in Cebu will be implemented from April 10 to 18, 2022 with the activation of “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2022.”

“With eased travel restrictions, CPA together with partners from the maritime sector are working closely to further intensity our efforts to ensure the safety, security, order and convenience of the travelling public,” said CPA General Manager Leonilo Miole.

In compliance with Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) guidelines, CPA will “strictly impose the mandatory wearing of face mask, temperature check of passengers upon entry inside port passenger terminal facilities, ban from talking and taking unnecessary phone calls, and observance of social distancing, especially in common areas such as canteens, lounges, open decks, comfort rooms and the like.”

Travellers are also encouraged to always observe the one-meter distance requirement “while queuing at the passenger terminal, during boarding and disembarkation.”

“With the ongoing repair and rehabilitation of some of our port facilities, we still have limited areas to accommodate a large number of passengers. Therefore, we appeal to our travelling public not to go to ports without confirmed travel booking to avoid overcrowding,” Miole added.

Travellers are also reminded to prepare their boat tickets since only passengers with boat tickets and valid Identification Cards (IDs) will be allowed entry at the different ports here and they should be at the port at least two hours ahead of their departure schedule.

“CPA will strictly impose the “No ticket, No ID, No Entry Policy,” the CPA advisory reads.

Miole also warns travelers about buying tickets from unauthorized individuals.

He said that tickets should be booked in advance to avoid heavy queuing outside the port area where most ticketing outlets are located.

“Malasakit Help Desks (MHDs) and first-aid stations will also be activated in passenger terminals to attend to various passenger concerns. All port management offices were directed to ensure that all booths / counters / centers serving passengers are properly manned during operating hours,” CPA said.

“Direct boarding of passengers to the vessel shall be allowed as may be deemed necessary in order to avoid crowding, inconvenience, or delay of the vessel’s departure provided that security, safety, and health protocols shall be observed,” it added.

CPA will deploy additional port police personnel in ports with high passenger traffic to enforce port safety and security protocols during the duration of the Oplan Byaheng Ayos while personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will be conducting random inspection and K9 sweeping “as part of the intensified campaign to interdict drug couriers passing through seaports.”

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), for its part, will also deploy Bomb Sniffing Dogs in port areas and Passenger Terminal Buildings (PTBs).

GM Miole assured all port users that daily disinfection activities are being conducted in all port passenger terminal buildings, port entry and exit points, shuttle buses and all other areas within the port that are highly exposed to passenger traffic.

“Rest assured that we are doing our best to ensure that we will have a safe and peaceful Holy Week Celebration in the ports of Cebu,” he said.

/bmjo

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