BORACAY – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Aklan said its forces are now on heightened alert as it beefs up safety measures for the holiday season.
As of Dec. 18, the PCG-Aklan has registered around 3,709 outbound passengers from various ports in the province.
It also conducted coastal security patrols and established assistance desks in the Cagban and Caticlan ports to assist passengers during the holiday season while monitoring the maritime activities in the area.
This world-famous island is also bracing for the arrivals of travelers from South Korea, China and Taiwan. It has posted around 1,882,215 tourist arrivals as of November this year with 964,250 foreigners staying in the island.
Second Class Frank Valle of PCG-Caticlan on Dec. 18 said the random checking of passengers and their luggage was necessary to ensure safety in the ports.
“Normal itong security preparations natin sa holiday season. May mga Coast Guard K9 units tayo to inspect ang mga baggage sa mga port terminals at ‘Malasakit desks’ para sa mga pasahero,” he added.
The passengers were also told not to bring prohibited items to avoid delays and to comply with the safety regulations of the ports and sea vessels.
The tighter security protocols of the PCG were in coordination with the Philippine National Police, Maritime Industry Authority and the Department of Transportation.(With a report from Akean Forum/PN)
