Maritime sector ready for ‘Marce’

Both the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) aired their readiness in anticipation of the entry of typhoon “Marce” in Northwestern Luzon.

Based on the 11 a.m. weather bulletin of state weather forecaster PAG-ASA, tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 is raised over 12 areas in Luzon as “Marce” intensified into a typhoon on Tuesday morning.

With this, the PCG said that in preparation for “Marce,” the Coast Guard District North Western Luzon ensured all responders and equipment were ready to assist local government units (LGUs) and their constituents for the possible conduct of evacuations and rescue operations.

“Moreover, Coast Guard personnel in all ports throughout the region are on heightened alert status to immediately respond to any eventualities at sea. Essential rescue equipment and radio communication devices are fully operational and ready for use to ensure the safety of residents within their area of responsibility,” the PCG said on Tuesday.

For the part of the PPA, its general manager, Atty. Jay Daniel Santiago ordered all port managers to exercise their standard operating procedures and ensure the safety of passengers and other port users.

Although not spared by severe tropical storm “Kristine,” the PPA assured that all ports are fully operational.

If passengers are stranded, Santiago said affected voyagers will be given free food, water and relief food packs through the help of local government units and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Fewer foot traffic on Undas

Meanwhile, the PPA also reported that passenger traffic at seaports across the country during the Undas 2024 exodus was lower than anticipated.

PPA records showed that from 28 October to 4 November, a total of 1,076,171 passengers passed through various ports across the country, compared to 1,544,313 passengers recorded during the same period last year.

“Several factors may have contributed to this decrease. For one, the longer weekend holiday in 2023 likely led to an increased number of travelers compared to this year. Additionally, the aftermath of typhoon “Kristine” may have caused some seaport passengers to delay or reschedule their trips,” the PPA said.

Further, the PPA’s proactive information dissemination and 24/7 communication via social media also played a key role in keeping the public informed about trip cancellations, port statuses and updates on the agency’s support for government relief operations.

Among the Port Management Offices with the highest passenger traffic this year were PMO Bohol, with 126,532 total passengers, followed by PMO Davao (123,290), PMO Negros Oriental/Siquijor (116,087), PMO Batangas (103,858) and PMO Negros Occidental / Bacolod / Banago Bredco (100,194).