Coast Guard, Marina set to hold summit

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) will hold a maritime summit on May 21 to discuss ways to prevent sea disasters.

Transportation Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez said the Coast Guard and Marina will review during the summit their maritime safety procedures to see if these are attuned with the times and adopt ways to ensure all vessels leaving port are seaworthy.

"The PCG and Marina should strictly implement all maritime rules and regulations to prevent more sea tragedies," he said. "They will be directly responsible for the safety and comfort of all passengers."

Meanwhile, Alvarez ordered yesterday the Special Board of Marine Inquiry investigating the M/V Maria Carmela tragedy to conduct more hearings.

In its report, the board said the "most probable cause" of the fire was the "spontaneous combustion of copra" in the cargo hold of the passenger ferry.

Coast Guard commandant Vice Adm. Reuben Lista said yesterday Alvarez was not satisfied with the board’s report on the April 11 accident which caused the ship to catch fire off Pagbilao island in Quezon and burn for three days before sinking and killing 44 people.

"Perhaps because of the little time (that the board had) some information was not considered," he said. "The PCG intelligence unit came up with the new information."

Lista said Alvarez issued the order during a meeting with him, Marina Administrator Oscar Sevilla, and Philippine Ports Authority head Alfonso Cusi at the Coast Guard headquarters in Manila.

But Lista refused to give details about their meeting with Alvarez.

Alvarez reportedly wants the Board of Marine Inquiry to submit a new report "as soon as possible" after two or more hearings.

The board failed to recommend the filing of criminal charges against Montenegro Shipping Lines Inc., owners of the ill-fated M/V Carmela.

However, the board recommended the suspension for a year of the licenses of the Carmela’s captain and its other officers, and for the crewmen to undergo training on emergency situations.

A month after the M/V Carmela tragedy, an overloaded outrigger boat, the M/B Nilode sank off Naval town in Biliran province, killing 19 passengers while enroute to Maripipi town.

The Nilode was licensed to carry 30 passengers but the boat was loaded with 90 people at the time of the accident.

Coast Guard inspectors reportedly allowed the Nilode to leave port because of the insistence of Maripipi town Mayor Uldarico Macorol.

Many of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were Maripipi barangay officials who had attended the celebration of Biliran’s 10th anniversary as a province.

They were returning home for the Maripipi town fiesta. –Sheila Crisostomo, Jose Aravilla