Committee on Public Services Chairperson Senator Raffy Tulfo conducted a surprise inspection in Binangonan Port, Rizal where a motorbanca capsized last year resulting in the deaths of 27 people.
Said issue was also investigated at the Senate on the same year.
In his inspection, Tulfo saw the various violations of some boats, including life vests made of styrofoam that quickly crumbles. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and crew of the said boat admitted that the passengers could sink while using these.
“Napansin ko din na mayroong isang bangka na butas-butas ang trapal kaya kapag sumama ang panahon ay tiyak na matutuluan ng tubig-ulan ang mga pasahero,” the legislator said.
The lawmaker also caught an approaching boat carrying passengers who are not wearing life vests.
“Maaaring nasa laot pa lamang ay hinubad na nila ang mga lifevest at pinayagan ng crew.”
“Ibig sabihin, maaaring nasa laot pa lamang ay hinubad na nila ang mga lifevest at pinayagan ng crew o hindi talaga nila ini-require ang mga pasaherong suotin ito,” the senator pointed out.
He also took some time to check the documents of some boats. In here, Tulfo noticed that some boats’ declared capacity of passengers did not match the number of insured passengers per boat according to their insurance policy.
“Kapag pinaupo ang lahat ng deklaradong capacity na pasahero, magmimistulang mga sardinas na sila sa sikip.”
“Kapag pinaupo ang lahat ng deklaradong capacity na pasahero, magmimistulang mga sardinas na sila sa sikip. Paano pa kapag idagdag ang mga kargamento ng bawat pasahero? Tiyak na magiging overloaded na ang bangka!” Tulfo stressed.
He also noticed that the insurance providers of all boats in said port were the same.
Interestingly, this insurance has previously been complained to his program, “Raffy Tulfo in Action” and that there were also several complaints against it according to the record of the Insurance Commission.
Tulfo will submit a detailed report about the investigation stating all violations he found to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and will recommend that administrative sanctions be given to PCG, MARINA and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) personnel who have been negligent in their duties and allowed these violations to run rampant.
“Kapag wala pa ring compliance sa susunod na surprise inspection ang mga nasabing bangka ay irerekomenda ko rin sa DOTr na kasuhan ang mga opisyal o supervisor ng nabanggit na mga ahensya na naging inutil sa kanilang tungkulin,” he concluded.
