Tulfo warns PCG, MIAA to ensure public safety amid typhoon Enteng
September 2, 2024
Tulfo warns PCG, MIAA to ensure public safety amid typhoon Enteng
Amid the Senate work suspension due to typhoon Enteng on Monday Sept. 2, Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo coordinated with various government agencies under his Senate Public Services Committee through a zoom meeting.
Sen. Idol immediately warned the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to ensure strict monitoring and inspection of all sea vessels.
First off, Sen. Tulfo stressed that no maritime vessels should be allowed to sail due to the current bad weather. However, he added that those who would be permitted to sail because their route was not affected by typhoon Enteng must be seaworthy, not overloaded and have sufficient life vests for the onboard passengers and crew.
It can be recalled that in the past, there were a lot of reports about tragedies at sea caused by bad weather, wherein a sea craft was able to sail but sank and led to many deaths due to overloading and lack of lifevests. Later, it was found out that this was caused by the negligence of the PCG.
Meanwhile, Sen. Idol was happy by the information gathered from Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Spokesperson Eunice Samonte who told him that even though more than 4,000 passengers are currently stranded at the piers, the PPA have prepared enough free snacks, drinks, and proper accommodation for them.
But regardless, Sen. Raffy still warned Samonte that if the information she provided to him was not true, then someone will be held accountable.
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Meanwhile, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) management earned the ire of Sen. Idol after he received information that there were tubs and trays scattered in NAIA terminals on Sept. 2 to catch rainwater from the roof with holes.
MIAA Spokesperson Atty Chris Bendijo, for his part, immediately acted on said concern and personally went around NAIA terminals to inspect the leaking roofs. Bendijo promised to Sen. Tulfo that he would urgently find a way to prevent the same problem from happening again.
Still, Sen. Idol stressed that if it happens again, many MIAA personnel will be punished.
Furthermore, Sen. Tulfo ordered. Atty. Bendijo to ensure that the airway passenger bill of rights of stranded passengers in NAIA terminals is followed, including the availability of free snacks, bottled water and proper accommodation for them.
He also ordered Atty. Bendijo to make sure that all VIP airport lounges, except those owned by airlines, should be reserved for senior citizens, PWDS, pregnant women and others who need assistance and places to stay in during times like this.
Sen. Idol also instructed Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Deputy Dir. Gen. Atty. Danjun Lucas to cancel all the flights of small and light aircraft in general aviation, especially those that are privately owned or those that are leased.
In the past, Tulfo said many small aircraft and helicopters have crashed or disappeared due to the hardheadedness of general aviation people who decided to fly even when the weather is bad, especially in the province where monitoring is not strict.
Lucas then promised Sen. Idol to follow his instruction.
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On the other hand, Sen. Idol expressed grave concern over PCG's sorry condition when it comes to rescue operation. He learned from Lt. Commander Joel Simo-ag that PCG only has one chopper available for rescuing vessels in distress or in need of help across the country.
He assured Simo-ag that in the coming Senate budget hearing of the Department of Transportation to which the PCG is affiliated, he will recommend on the modernization program of the Coast Guard an additional budget to purchase extra choppers that can be used in its SOS or rescue operation.
Sen. Tulfo will discuss all these problem in the scheduled hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Services on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Sen. Idol sa Coastguard at MIAA: tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng publiko sa gitna ng bagyong Enteng
September 2, 2024 - Bagama't suspendido ang pasok sa Senado dahil sa bagyong Enteng, nakipagpulong si Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo sa iba't-ibang mga ahensya ng gobyerno na sakop ng kanyang Senate Public Services Committee sa pamamagitan ng isang zoom meeting.
Agad binalaan ni Sen. Idol ang Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) na magkaroon ng strict monitoring and inspection sa lahat ng mga sasakyang pandagat.
Una na rito, walang papayagang pumalaot na anumang vessels dahil sa masamang panahon ngayon at doon sa mapapayagan sapagkat hindi naman apektado ng bagyong Enteng ang rota na dadaanan, kailangang siguruhin na seaworthy, hindi overloaded at sapat ang bilang ng life vests sa dami ng sakay na pasahero at crew.
Matatandaan sa mga nakaraan, marami nang napabalitang trahedya sa dagat bunsod ng masamang panahon na nakapaglayag pa rin ang isang seacraft at lumubog dahil sa overloading at maraming namatay bunsod ng kakulangan na rin ng lifevests. Kalaunan, napag-alaman na ito ay dahil na rin sa kapabayaan ng PCG.
Samantala, ikinatuwa naman ni Sen. Idol ang impormasyong nakalap mula kay Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Spokesperson Eunice Samonte na bagama't mahigit 4,000 passengers ang stranded sa mga pier, may naihanda na silang sapat na libreng mga snacks, inumin, at maayos na accommodation para sa mga nasabing pasahero nila.
Ngunit nagbitaw pa rin ng babala si Sen. Tulfo na kapag hindi totoo ang impormasyong ibinato sa kanya ng PPA, may mananagot sa kanila.
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Nanggalaiti naman si Sen. Raffy sa Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) management nang may nakarating sa kanyang impormasyon na maraming mga batya at tray ang nagkalat sa mga terminal ng NAIA ngayon para saluhin ang mga tumutulong tubig ulan mula sa mga butas na bubong.
On the spot naman na umaksyon si MIAA Spokesperson Atty. Chris Bendijo at personal na umikot sa mga terminal sa NAIA para inspeksyunin ang mga tumutulong bubong na ito, at nangakong agad na gagawan ng paraan ang problema para hindi na maulit muli.
Gayunapaman, sinabi ni Sen. Tulfo na kapag naulit pa rin ito ay maraming makakastigo.
Inutusan naman ni Sen. Idol si Atty. Bendijo na siguruhing masusunod ang "air passenger bill of rights" ng mga stranded na pasahero sa mga terminal sa NAIA, kasama na rito ang pagkakaroon ng mga libreng snack, bottled water at maayos na tatambayan o accommodation para sa kanila.
Iniutos niya rin kay Atty. Bendijo na dapat lahat ng VIP airport lounges, maliban nalang sa mga airline-owned, ay ilaan sa mga senior citizens, PWDs, pregnant women at iba pang nangangailangan ng assistance upang sila ay may matambayan.
Pinakakansela naman ni Sen. Idol kay CAAP Deputy Dir. Gen. Atty. Danjun Lucas ang lahat ng mga flights ng maliliit na eroplano sa general aviation, particular na ang mga privately owned o yung mga pinapaupahan.
Sa mga nakaraan, marami nang maliliit na eroplano at helicopter ang nag-crash o nawala bunsod sa katigasan ng ulo ng mga taga-general aviation na lumilipad pa rin kahit na masama ang panahon lalo na sa probinsya kung saan hindi strict ang monitoring.
Agad naman nangako si Atty. Lucas na ito ay masusunod.
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Sa kabilang banda, naawa naman si Sen. Idol sa PCG ng kanyang malaman mula kay Lt. Commander Joel Simo-ag na kalunos lunos pala ang sitwasyon nito pagdating sa rescue operation, sapagkat iisa lang pala ang chopper na ginagamit ng PCG sa buong Pilipinas para sa pagrescue ng mga in-distress na sasakyang pandagat o nangangailangan ng tulong.
Sinabi ni Sen. Idol kay Simo-ag na sa darating na budget hearing sa Senado ng Department of Transporation na kung saan kasanib ang PCG, irerekomenda niya sa modernization program ng Coast Guard ang dagdag budget para pambili ng karagdagang mga chopper na magagamit sa SOS o rescue operation nito, na siya namang labis na ikinatuwa ni Simo-ag.
Sa darating na hearing ng Senate Committee on Public Services sa Huwebes, Sept. 5, tatalakayin ni Sen. Idol ang lahat ng mga nasabing problema.
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