BACOLOD City – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) continues intensifying its monitoring in the coastal areas of San Carlos City to prevent the illegal entry to this province of locally stranded individuals from Cebu.
Lieutenant Commander Jansen Benjamin, chief of PCG-Negros Occidental, said on Aug. 18 that additional personnel and equipment such as rubber boats have been deployed to the sub-station in San Carlos, which is the northernmost city of this province.
“We have close coordination with the locals for the monitoring of the shorelines. We continually conduct maritime patrol operations,” he added.
Earlier, Petty Officer 1st Class Hospicio Toledanes, commander of PCG sub-station in San Carlos, said they have strengthened security measures in the sea borders and conducted a dialogue with residents of coastal communities as a response to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019.
He urged residents to be vigilant and to report sightings of unusual vessels or individuals in their premises.
In the past weeks, six LSIs from Cebu were reported to have illegally entered the city through Sitio Trozo, Barangay Buluangan on board a motor banca.
San Carlos City is the gateway into this province by travelers from Toledo City, Cebu.
Hundreds of Negrenses are still reported stranded in the neighboring province.
However, the provincial government only allows LSIs in Cebu to travel from the port of Tabuelan town going to the Danao Port in Escalante City, also in northern Negros.
For now, the entry of Negrenses from Cebu has been suspended while the two-week moratorium for the travel of LSIs to this province is in effect.
Last Friday, the provincial capitol advised Negrenses still stranded in Cebu to stay put in the places where they are staying if they have not yet received a travel schedule.
“Please refrain from going or proceeding to the Port of Tabuelan without any advice from your respective LGUs or the Province of Negros Occidental,” the advisory from the province said. (With a report from PNA/PN)
