Press Release
July 3, 2020

POE: SCALE UP SEARCH FOR 14 MISSING FILIPINOS

Sen. Grace Poe exhorted authorities to augment and mobilize resources to scour the waters for 14 Filipinos missing after their fishing boat collided with a Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel off the coast of Mindoro (Hiniling ni Sen. Grace Poe sa awtoridad na palawakin pa at pakilusin ang lahat ng makinarya nito upang suyurin ang karagatan sa paghahanap sa 14 Filipino na nawawala matapos banggain ang kanilang bangka ng isang Hong Kong-flagged cargo vessel malapit sa dalampasigan ng Mindoro).

Poe said the Philippine Coast Guard should also seek help for sea and air assets of neighbor countries as the search has become a race against the clock (Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Poe na dapat humingi din ng tulong ang Philippine Coast Guard sa kalapit-bansa hinggil sa kagamitang pangdagat at panghimpapawid dahil nauubos na panahon ng search and rescue mission).

"Every day counts. We should not let down the families of the 14 Filipinos awaiting the safe return of their loved ones," she said.

All-out efforts for an exhaustive and wide search will increase the chance of finding the missing fishers, Poe said. She added that even coastal communities are volunteering to be on the lookout for signs (Sinabi ni Poe na tataas ang tiyansa na makita ang mga nawawalang mangingisda kung gagamitin at pagtutuunan ng lahat ng pagkilos sa mabilis at malawakang paghahanap. Idinagdag niya na kahit mga komunidad sa dalampasigan ay nagboluntaryo na sa paghahanap ng anumang senyales ng naturang mga mangingisda).

"In this situation, we need a true all-hands-on-deck efforts. We must keep searching," Poe stressed.

The senator said government should make available any assistance needed by the families of the fishermen as they keep their hopes alive (Ayon sa mambabatas, dapat bigyan rin ng karampatang tulong ng pamahalaan ang ang mga pamilya ng mangingisda sa pagpapanatili ng kanilang pag-asa).

While life at sea is not easy, the country's fishermen continue to brave its perils and pitfalls to provide food for every Filipino's table (Hindi madali ang buhay sa karagatan, pero patuloy na sinusuong ng ating mangingisda ang panganib upang mabigyan ng kakainin ang kanilang pamilya, aniya).

"Anim na araw na ang nakakaraan. Matagal na ang paghihintay ng kanilang mga mahal sa buhay. Malalim at malawak man ang karagatan, kailangan natin silang hanapin at saklolohan," Poe said.

Poe said the investigation being conducted by the Coast Guard should be extensive to determine the real cause of the incident, the immediate action taken on the ground and possible liabilities (Aniya, dapat malawak ang imbestigasyong gagawin ng Coast Guard upang matukoy kung ano ang tunay na dahilan ng insidente, kaagad kumilos at suriin ang posibleng liyabilidad).

"The public expect no let-up in the search for our countrymen as we await the result of the investigation that will shed light on the real incident and hold the erring party liable for this mishap," Poe added.

Poe earlier filed and sponsored Senate Bill No. 1077 or the proposed National Transportation Safety Board that will focus on investigating air, highway, railroad, pipeline and maritime accidents such as this (Nauna nang inihain at inisponsor ni Poe ang Senate Bill No. 1077 o ang panukalang National Transportation Safety Board na tututok sa pag-iimbestiga ng aksidente sa himpapawid, highway, railroad, pipeline at maritime).

The bill, approved on third and final reading at the Senate, said transportation accidents carry hefty price tags and cost lives, and should not be left in the archives without giving justice to the victims (Inaprubahan na ang panukala sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa sa Senado na nagsasabing masyadong malaking halaga ang aksidente sa anumang uri ng transportasyon at kumikitil ng buhay, at hindi ito dapat isantabi na lamang nang hindi nabibigyan ng katarungan ang mga biktima).

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