PCG forms teams for maritime emergency response

MANILA, Philippines — Recent incidents of fishermen lost in the waters off Southern Tagalog have prompted the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to form special teams that will attend to maritime emergencies as well as disseminate information.

Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, chief of the PCG-Southern Tagalog district, directed all field units under his jurisdiction to form dedicated teams that will streamline information sharing and coordination during maritime emergencies.

The teams will also train PCG personnel on rapid and effective response to these emergencies.

Tuvilla urged PCG units to engage coastal communities in regular dialogues to better understand the needs and concerns of the people.

The units were tasked to strengthen their inter-agency collaboration with local government units and other concerned agencies as well as step up coastal surveillance and patrol activities.

Through these efforts, Tuvilla hopes to address the root cause of people going to the sea despite bad weather, and make the maritime environment in Southern Tagalog safer.

For this month alone, five fishermen were reported missing in the region due to bad weather.