With the deadline set today, less than 63 percent of boats plying this city to the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) have registered their operations to the city.
The Davao City Business Bureau registered only 44 out of the 70 boats even as the city government imposed a “no permit, no sailing” policy.
All the operators only have until today to comply with all requirements to register their chartered boats at the Business Bureau office.
“If they fail to register, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will not allow them to sail,” Business Bureau chief lawyer Marissa Torentera said during the special edition of I-Speak press conference held yesterday at the City Hall.
Before the boats could sail, Torentera said they need to get clearance from the PCG.
As long as the operators comply with the first step of the registration, which is the interview for the assignment of business ID number, they can already get clearance from PCG.
Boat operators were gathered on a meeting last November to encourage them to register their boats.
Torentera said it took them time to convince these operators.
“Operators were hesitant at first because they already acquired permits from Samal but we explained that this is for regulation purposes since they also dock in Davao City,” she said.
She added that the imposition of the policy is considered very “timely” given the fact that more tourists will be visiting IGACOS for holy week and summer vacation and it has not caused any inconvenience to all passengers so far.
