The Coast Guard Station Davao is intensifying its monitoring along the coastal areas of the city and anchorage area to ensure that passengers and crew could not enter the city while the quarantine period is in place.
Speaking in yesterday’s AFP-PNP press briefing in The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Commander Gary Laynesa, the commander of the Sta. Ana Coast Guard Station-Davao, said they are coordinating with the Bureau of Quarantine and Philippine Port Authority for the precautionary measure.
Laynesa said they are boarding domestic vessels and foreign vessels, with the Bureau of Quarantine as the lead agency, especially those coming from countries with a high rate of Covid-19.
He said they are averaging 40 to 50 foreign vessels, inspected per month on private and government ports in the city.
“Those foreign vessels coming from China has an average of 10 monthly so we are currently monitoring what vessel that needs to be held in the quarantine anchorage area for the incubation period of 14 days,” Laynesa said.
“The 14-day period will start upon their departure in the port area then their travel time from China to Davao takes eight days, so they have six days left for the quarantine confinement period,” he added.
The guidance of Bureau of quarantine is to hold the vessel in the anchorage for the inspection. After clearing the ship, the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, and the coast guard can now proceed with their inspection.
The Bureau of Quarantine requested the coast guard to monitor the anchorage area so the crew and passengers will not sneak and roam around the city while they are under monitoring.
The coast guard station commander also said they have been intensifying their seaborne patrols after receiving reports that some crew members are hiring private pump boats as part of their rest and recreation.
Meanwhile, the coast guard is also working with the Department of Agriculture to contain the swine fever.
The novel coronavirus spreading across the world now has an official name. The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that it has labeled the virus Covid-19 as incidents continues to rise, with over 43,000 cases currently confirmed and more than 1,000 deaths.
