MORE FRIDAY TRAVELERS. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Iloilo expects boat travelers from this city to Guimaras will triple on Friday morning. Lt. Col. Rodolfo Dela Peña, PCG-Iloilo commander, said most of the travelers are bound to Balaan Bukid Barangay Balcon Melliza village, Jordan for the annual 'Pagtaltal' or the pilgrimage. (Photo courtesy of Rodolfo Dela Peña)
ILOILO CITY -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Iloilo expects more boat travelers from this city to Guimaras on Friday morning.
Lt. Col. Rodolfo Dela Peña, PCG-Iloilo commander, said they anticipate that the number of passengers on Maundy Thursday will increase threefold on Good Friday.
Around 2, 000 boat travelers were monitored by the PCG Iloilo on Thursday morning.
“By Friday, we expect these (passengers) to multiply by three because Friday is considered the highlight of the Holy Week celebration,” he said in an interview Thursday.
In 2018, 12, 000 passengers were monitored by the PCG on Good Friday, he said.
Fifty-two motorized bancas under the Jordan Motorbanca Cooperative were all certified safe to travel.
“They were divided into two so that all banca owners will benefit with the flock of passengers. That gives us 26 bancas plying Iloilo-Guimaras route on Maundy Thursday and another 26 on Good Friday,” he said.
To ensure the safety of passengers, 168 PCG personnel were equally deployed at the Ortiz wharf and Parola wharf in this city; and Jordan wharf and Buenavista wharf in Guimaras.
Three aluminum boats, three rubber boats, and two patrol crafts of the PCG are also ready to respond to any sea emergency.
Dela Peña ensured the safety of the motorized bancas. The PCG recently issued stickers to motorized bancas that had undergone sea safety inspection.
“For travelers, they can be assured that the bancas are seaworthy because they all complied with the Safety of Life at Sea Equipment. They had been given stickers to prove such and we had not monitored bancas without stickers,” he said.
Safety requirements include accommodation ladder, anchor, safety nets, lifejackets and fire extinguishers, among others.
All of the boat captains are also equipped with knowledge in operating a boat, as all are secured with licenses issued by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), he said.
Most of the travelers are bound for Balaan Bukid in Barangay Balcon Melliza village, Jordan for the annual “Pagtaltal” or the pilgrimage, he said. (PNA)
