Remove stranded ships TF Yolanda Council issues ultimatum to vessel owners

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — Owners of ships that were stranded or swept inland around the city at the height of typhoon Yolanda have been given an ultimatum to remove these vessels by February 15.

The Task Force Yolanda Council (TFYC) issued the ultimatum to the owners of the vessels by the deadline set otherwise the government will take the initiative itself in removing these but at the cost of the owners.

The TFYC is composed of the Philippine Coast Guard, the MARINA, the DOTC and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Lieutenant Jr. Grade Paul Ryan Gonzales, station of PCG in this city, said there are 12 vessels that ran aground, during the onslaught of Yolanda, and are still sitting to this day in the barangays of Rawis and Anibong districts and in Barangay Diit of this city.

Gonzales told The Freeman that two ship owners have started unloading the cargoes before moving their respective vessels, M/V David and M/V Eva Jocelyn, out into the shores of the city.

Barangay residents in the affected districts have been appealing to the authorities and the owners to remove the stranded vessels from their place because these have been obstructing the removal of the debris, the cleanup and restoration works in the area.

Gonzales said the PCG-Tacloban has already informed and directed the owners to speed up the removal of their vessels from the barangays.

The PCG official said that, besides the nine vessels stranded at Anibong and Rawis districts, another one had ran aground at Barangay Diit, near the San Juanico Bridge, a dredger of the DPWH in Barangay 75, and one more, belonging to the BFAR, at the port of the city.

Besides the M/V David of Cadano Shipping Lines and M/V Eva Jocelyn of Eva Shipping Lines, as well as the two government vessels, the PCG-Tacloban records showed the other stranded vessels are:

M/V Lancer of Matsya Shipping Lines; M/V Tom Elegance and M/V Jaguar of Tacloban Oil Mills Inc.; M/V Star Hilongos of Roble Shipping Lines; M/V Gayle of Unilink Shipping Lines; M/V RKK Uno of RKK Shipping Lines; M/V Ligaya V of Avega Brothers Integrated Shipping; and LCT Rosman of Richmund Ng. (FREEMAN)