- Cebu ports will be on heightened alert from April 10 to 18 for the Holy Week break
- Terminals are expected to be full now that COVID-19 restrictions have been eased
- Cebu Port Authority is activating “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2022” to ensure the safety and security of all passengers
All ports in Cebu will be on heightened alert from April 10 to 18 in anticipation of a surge in passenger traffic during the Holy Week and as COVID-19 restrictions ease, the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) said.
In a statement, CPA said it is preparing to activate “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa and Summer Vacation 2022” to ensure safe, secure and comfortable transit of passengers through the ports.
“With eased travel restrictions, CPA, together with partners from the maritime sector, are working closely to further intensity our efforts to ensure the safety, security, order and convenience of the travelling public,” CPA general manager Leonilo Miole said.
Consistent with guidelines from the Maritime Industry Authority, CPA will strictly impose the mandatory wearing of face mask, temperature check of passengers upon entry into port passenger terminal facilities, ban from talking and taking unnecessary phone calls, and observance of social distancing, especially in common areas such as canteens, lounges, open decks, comfort rooms and the like.
Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City are at Level 1 alert from April 1 to 16 while the rest of Cebu province is at Level 2, which, among other restrictions, prohibit overcrowding in public areas.
Considering some port facilities and passenger terminal buildings are still undergoing repair and rehabilitation after sustaining significant damage last year from typhoon Odette, CPA is encouraging passengers to strictly observe a one-meter distance while queuing at the passenger terminal during boarding and disembarkation.
“With the ongoing repair and rehabilitation of some of our port facilities, we still have limited areas to accommodate a large number of passengers. Therefore, we appeal to our travelling public not to go to ports without confirmed travel booking to avoid overcrowding,” Miole said.
Only passengers with boat tickets and valid identification cards will be allowed entry into the port at least two hours from the scheduled departure time. CPA will also strictly impose the “No ticket, No ID, No Entry Policy”.
Miole reminded the public not to patronize ticket scalping as it is illegal. He advised travellers to book their tickets in advance to avoid heavy queuing outside the port area, where most ticketing outlets are located.
Malasakit Help Desks and first-aid stations will be activated at passenger terminals to attend to various passenger concerns. Port management offices have been directed to ensure all booths/ counters/centers serving passengers are properly manned during operating hours.
Direct boarding of passengers will be allowed as necessary to avoid crowding, inconvenience, or delay of the vessel’s departure provided security, safety, and health protocols are observed.
For the duration of Oplan Biyaheng Ayos, CPA will deploy additional port police officers at ports with high passenger traffic to enforce port safety and security protocols.
Partners from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency will also conduct random inspection and K-9 sniffing as part of the intensified campaign to interdict drug couriers passing through seaports. The Philippine Coast Guard will deploy bomb-sniffing dogs in port areas and passenger terminal buildings.
Miole assured port users that daily disinfection activities are being conducted at all terminals, port entry and exit points, on all shuttle buses and other areas within the port that are highly exposed to passenger traffic.
