More maritime assets deployed in Sarangani Bay

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 6, 2021): More maritime assets deployed in Sarangani Bay (By Richelyn Gubalani)

COASTAL PATROL. A high-speed patrol boat of the Philippine National Police Maritime Unit-12 maneuvers near the shores of Barangay Calumpang in General Santos City as it prepares to patrol the area’s coastal waters on Friday morning (Aug. 6, 2021). The regional maritime unit and the Philippine Coast Guard deployed additional patrol assets in parts of Sarangani Bay to prevent the illegal and unregulated entry of people, especially those from areas with cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 or Covid-19 Delta variant. (Photo courtesy of the city government)

Maritime units have deployed additional patrol assets in parts of Sarangani Bay to secure the area from the entry of vessels and boats that could be carrying persons infected with the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Delta variant.

This, as the city government formally launched on Friday its newly activated Task Force Bantay Dalampasigan to prevent possible breaches of travelers, traders, and other individuals from nearby islands of Indonesia.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed one of its modern patrol vessels, the BRP Tubbataha, while the Philippine National Police Maritime Unit-12 assigned high-speed patrol boats to lead the operations.

Capt. Rejard Marfe, commander of PCG District Southern Mindanao, said they adopted a systematic approach to protect the area from the entry of unauthorized vessels and fishing boats, especially those that have passed foreign ports.

He said they will monitor and control the entry of vessels to prevent the movement of people from countries that are grappling with a surge in Delta variant cases, especially Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.

“We’re already under heightened alert status even before the national government declared the travel restrictions from the affected countries,” he said during the launching and sendoff ceremony for the patrol assets.

Marfe said their substations in the Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat provinces will also assist the task force’s operations, especially in monitoring the coastal waters.

BRP Tubbataha, which is one of the newest patrol vessels of the PCG, will lead the intensified patrols in the sea borders with Indonesia, he said.

City Mayor Ronnel Rivera, the task force commander, said the local government will provide the necessary support to sustain the sea border and coastal operations.

“We need to do this to protect our area from the Delta variant as well prevent illegal activities involving our shorelines,” he said.

The task force, which was created based on Executive Order No. 32 signed by the mayor on July 30, consolidates all coastal and maritime monitoring agencies of the government to help intensify the monitoring against the illegal and unregulated entry of people to the area.

It aims to intensify maritime security, shoreline patrolling, and coastal monitoring in Sarangani Bay.

“We know that our shoreline is very open and anyone can just enter our area. We’re now maximizing our efforts to heighten our coastal monitoring and patrols to prevent the possible spread of the Delta Variant,” he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149645