26 June 2006
MASBATE CITY—THE PROVINCIAL government is intensifying its campaign to prevent sea tragedies in the storm-prone island-province to prevent a repeat of the recent MB Mae Ann sea tragedy, which took 28 lives at the height of tropical storm “Caloy.”
A typhoon doctrine and saving-a-drowned-victim seminar was conducted here on June 20 by the Coast Guard District, Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Philippine Ports Authority, Office of Civil Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Regional Disaster Coordinating Council, Police Regional Office 5 and Naval Forces Southern Luzon.
The seminar taught 80 shipping lines owners, boat captains, barangay officials and rescuers about safety measures, typhoon doctrine and saving lives during a sea disaster.
“It’s about time we refresh the minds of operators on safety and the passengers of their rights to minimize loss of lives and damage to properties,” said Marina regional director Lucita Madarang.
Madarang said tarpaulin ads containing safety measures and reminders to the passengers would be placed in the 19 ports of Bicol this week.
Coast Guard District commander Capt. Luis Tuason Jr. said another common problem was the lack of designated holding areas with basic facilities for stranded passengers.
The passengers of the Mae Ann 5 had slept in the boat despite the raging waters brought about by the storm.
He said a similar seminar would be held on July 5 and a life guard training on July 4-6 in Sorsogon.
Vice Mayor Lilian Lim-Espinosa said the local government hoped to help provide information about the prevention of sea disasters.
Asked to assess the city’s medical facilities, the vice mayor, who is also a doctor, admitted that the city lacked hospital facilities.
“The biggest hospital we have here has only secondary facilities. But in terms of skilled doctors, we have a good number of them in the province. What we need is a set of advanced medical equipment.” Ephraim Aguilar, PDI Southern Luzon Bureau
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