MANILA – No maritime incidents have been recorded since the onslaught of Typhoon Karding, with almost all ports now back to normal operations, an official of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Tuesday.
In a Laging Handa briefing, PCG spokesperson Commodore Armando Balilo said Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista made an early pronouncement to have ships, fishing boats, and other sea vessels shelter before the passing of the typhoon to avoid any sea mishaps.
“Wala tayong aksidente, wala rin pong na-report na fisherman na nawawala (There have been no accidents, there have been no reports of missing fishermen),” Balilo said.
He said all ports in the Bicol Region and Southern Tagalog region -- including Batangas, Mindoro, and Metro Manila -- are back to normal operations.
However, he said there are some stranded passengers at Matnog Port.
“Maliban po sa Matnog na mayroong kakaunting nakapila pa, lahat po ay normal na ang operasyon (Excluding Matnog where there is a little congestion, all are back to normal operations),” Balilo said.
The situation in Matnog is being monitored, with those stranded expected to be brought home soon, he added.
“Hindi naman po masyadong matagal iyong pagka-stranded nila at mayroon naman pong mga provisions doon sa mga port facilities (They haven’t been stranded for long and there are provisions in our port facilities),” he said.
In preparation for the typhoon, Balilo said PCG personnel had been deployed in possible disaster areas such as Bicol, Cavite, and Nueva Ecija where they helped evacuate those in need.
To date, he said the PCG remain on standby and is coordinating with local government units to have their vessels bring in relief goods to affected areas, especially in remote islands.
To ensure the safety of PCG personnel and the public, he said health and safety protocols against Covid-19 continue to be enforced in all maritime public transport.
“Sa loob po ng mga barko, dapat naka-face mask pa rin po at iyong ating pag-i-examine ng temperature, mayroon pong mga naka-deploy pong mga doktor mula sa PPA [Philippine Ports Authority] (Inside ships, we still need to wear face masks and temperature scanning are performed by doctors from the PPA),” he said.
He said PCG personnel also continue to enforce physical distancing and other ways to prevent the spread of Covid-19. (PNA)
