PCG Urges LCEs to Help Campaign Against Colorum Motor Bancas

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) calls on local chief executives to be on guard against illegally operating motor bancas or colorums.

In a press briefing, Coast Guard District Central Visayas Commander Commodore George Ursabia said the whole agency is going full force in coming up with a series of activities to call on the public not to resort to these colorum motor bancas.

These illegally operating motor bancas are present in majority of the populated municipal and island ports.

The PCG Auxiliary District headed by Commodore James Porter, with six squadrons all over Central Visayas, is augmenting PCG in this campaign and other programs.

However Ursabia said, even if they are going out full force, the campaign is expected to succeed when it is already the LCE or the mayors of the towns and cities who will dip their fingers into the problem.

“We would appreciate it very much if the Mayor will have a directive or maybe under the disaster management offices or task force, to watch out and prevent the proliferation of these colorum bancas because they know the locality better,” Ursabia said.

He said they had difficulty in getting the support of the Mayors during election season but now that its over, they hope they will include sea safety in their priorities.

PCG had prepared several posters and flyers to be distributed regionwide with glaring warning, “Pahibalo sa Publiko:  Ayaw Kamo Sakay sa mga Colorum na Bangka” (Notice to Public: Do Not Ride Unregistered Banca).

It bears a list in knowing whether the bancas are registered which include complete life saving gears, life insurance benefits, complete credentials of the crew, well trained crew and authorized to sail at night.

Sea passengers resort to unregistered bancas when there are bad weather conditions and because they pay a cheaper price.

Ursabia said they also would want to get the sentiments of the operators on why some are not registering their bancas.

“Next time we will be having a consultation in the municipalities and ports bringing with us the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) that is in charge in the registration,” he said.

There are 24 Coast Guard stations and substations covering the islands Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Oriental with about 103 ports.

The project is jointly done by PCG and PCGA. (mbcn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu)