Press Release
April 2, 2009

HOLY WEEK TRAVELERS WARNED AGAINST OVERLOADED SHIPS

Senator Bong Revilla today warned Holy Week travelers against the overloading scheme of some public transport companies, particularly in sea vessels where overloading of passengers is a common cause of accidents.

The senator said that with the expected increase of the number of travelers this Holy Week, it is not unusual that public transport companies, especially shipping companies, would resort to overloading.

"Maritime accidents brought about overloaded boats are not uncommon in our country where the only means of cheap inter-island transport is by boats and other sea vessels. We must learn from the past if we want to save lives," said Revilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services.

The lawmaker urged the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) to intensify its Holy Week security measures in seaports not only to avoid crimes but also prevent sea tragedies.

"I laud the DOTC for its Oplan Semana Santa. But it would be better if the security measures will focus primarily against overloading, not just on help desks and security personnel visibility," Revilla said.

Revilla also called on the public to report to the authorities any sea vessel, may it big ships or motorized bancas, that violates its maximum capacity of passengers.

"Usually, we learned that a boat is overloaded when it already capsized. Ignoring the danger of overloading is a way of tolerating the sailing of a floating coffin," he said.

He said the travelers' participation is very important in avoiding overloading-related accidents, may it by land or sea.

"Even if they are in hurry to reach their place of destination, they should not take the risk of riding an overloaded vessel. They should not take chances, chance passengers cause overloading. They must remember that unlisted passengers cannot claim anything from the ship owners in case of accidents," he said.

Revilla pointed out that there were cases where Coast Guard inspectors are insulted by angry passengers when they try to prevent an overloaded ship from sailing.

"We need the support of everyone if we really want to prevent sea accidents. The life that we save could be ours," he added.

According to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Philippines is the fourth most accident prone country in the world and this includes sea accidents. Among the most frequently mentioned causes of the sea accidents were overloading of the ship, ageing facilities, badly trained crewmembers, and poor compliance by the vessels with safety precautions and measures. Last June 21, MV Princess of the Stars capsized in the Sibuyan Sea at the height of typhoon "Frank's" fury, leaving more than 800 dead. The country's--and the world's--worst peacetime sea disaster was the collision of the MV Doña Paz with MT Vector in Tablas Strait on Dec. 20, 1987 in which more than 4,000 people died.

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