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By Betheena Kae Unite
Cargo and fishing vessels carrying basic food supplies and materials for manufacturing of commodities are the only ships allowed to sail in the waters off Luzon during the one-month enhanced community quarantine, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
The ‘no sail’ policy has been enforced on all domestic passenger vessels and passenger motorized bancas, including private watercraft or pleasure yachts calling to and from any seaport in Luzon and the provinces of Batanes, Catanduanes, and Palawan, Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Joel Garcia said in a memorandum order Tuesday.
All ship’s crew of domestic and foreign cargo vessels must stay onboard the vessel during the ship-to-port cargo operation or loading and unloading of goods.
“In the extreme case that their services so require during cargo operation, they must stay within a 50-meter radius from the vicinity of the vessel they are working with,” the commandant said.
“Ship’s crew must follow at all times social distancing by maintaining one-meter distance from the port workers and the local populace.”
In case general community quarantine or enhanced community quarantine is declared in areas outside Luzon, all Coast Guard districts, including their stations, must implement the same measures.
Coast Guard districts and stations are directed to “be on the lookout for those watercraft carrying passengers from localities that declare general community quarantine or enhanced community quarantine and deny them from entering or leaving said locality” if the area of jurisdiction declares community quarantine.
Meanwhile, more than 230 cargo vessels and motorbancas have been inspected by the Coast Guard Task Force Laban COVID-19 in Navotas City.
The crew members underwent medical screening and no individual showed a sign or symptom of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Moreover, artisanal fishers and commercial fishers who use legal means may still conduct their usual operation, but shall be under stringent health protocols and safety guidelines, the Coast Guard said.
“When signaled to stop, please obey immediately. When boarded, present all crew to the boarding team for thermal check-up,” Garcia said.
“For all fishing boat captains, refuse, isolate, and/or restrict to cabin any fish worker who exhibits flu-like symptoms and/or report to the PCG or return to port upon discovery of a sick crew. Deny sick crew access to cargo holds, gears, and catch as much as possible,” the commandant added.
Small-scale fishers were also encouraged to postpone fishing when not feeling well.
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