go through EDG Adrian A. Eva,reporter
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) often makes headlines for its presence and claims on the Philippine Sea (WPS). Others may recognize them at the port, manage crowds and ensure commuting is safe. But what do we really know about these unified people in Navy blue and white besides these visible characters?
With more than 30,000 personnel, PCG is an armed and unified maritime service of the Ministry of Transport (DOTR).
The agency is authorized to maintain maritime security, enforce maritime laws, ensure safety, conduct search and rescue operations and protect the marine environment.
As the peak of Holy Week begins, PCG is strengthening the alerts to implement its mandate, with approximately 1.73 million passengers passing through ports across the country from April 14 to 20.
In a statement, PCG said it will work with a variety of stakeholders including the Philippine Port Authority and the Maritime Industry Authority to conduct passenger safety inspections, luggage inspections and pre-ship inspections this year.
Bataan is home to some of the country's economically significant ports and is also preparing for the Holy Week rapids.
Deputy Commander of the Coast Guard, Jesus S.
“We are preparing life-saving equipment … we deploy personnel to beach resorts, outposts at beach resorts to monitor the area,” Mr Mandy said in an interview with the Filipino during a former departmental ship inspection last month at the Filipino.
Vessel inspection
To ensure passenger safety, PCG is conducting internal inspections of each passenger ship.
BusinessWorld witness This is the first move one Operation Last month, Reynaldo Y Enriquez and his team examine MV XGC Explorer, a During that time, the passenger ship was docked on the Kamaya coast in Bataan.
“We conduct pre-development inspections to ensure that the ship meets safety standards … and prevent accidents that have occurred in the past from happening again,” Enriquez said in an interview with the Filipino.
Mr Enriquez said the former department inspection usually begins an hour before the ship is scheduled to leave, starting with the team asking for permission from the captain.
Following the commemorative notice of 7 July 2012, Mr. Enriquez inspected the ship's documents, including its safety certificate, to ensure everything is up to date and that the ship is set off safely.
The team also checked the ship's navigation and control systems to ensure they were functioning properly.
go vessel Bridge, Mr. Enriquez continue examine vessel Lifesaving equipment such as life jackets, lifeboats, emergency signals and lighting, and floating equipment to ensure they are sufficient and functioning properly.
The vessel inspection also extends to the tight and stuffy space of the ship's engine, ensuring it is in good condition and that the backup engine can be used in emergencies.
But besides the critical aspects of the vessel, Mr. Enrique said the PCG also examined the well-being of the crew and the workplace relationship.
“Sometimes, sometimes there will be conflicts on the ship. If there is conflict, it's hard to work,” Enriquez said in the Philippines in an interview.
Part of the former department’s former inspection team is also the Coast Guard working dog “Harold”, a 6-year-old Belgian Marino who works with his handling staff, the junior officer, Jason A. Cajilig.
“We checked the entire vessel by doing the luggage and the paneling of our luggage and checking passengers, and confirming that they were carrying explosives, narcotics or any illegal items in the bag,” Mr. Kagilig said in an interview.
Once the vessel has passed all inspections, it is considered suitable for departure. Otherwise, any defect found will be fined and penalized, as outlined in the Memorandum
At the time, the MV XGC Explorer was given a GO signal, which Mr. Enriquez and the rest of the team believed was part of their duty because they knew the passengers could ensure their safety.
“It's nice to hear civilians say, 'Sir, we feel safe when you're around you,” Enriquez said in the Philippines in an interview.
This ordered level is not accidental, and it is the result of a rigorous training program that each member of the PCG must go through before deploying to the field operations.
PCG training
Rodney P. Gonzales, an intern at the 31-2025 class “Charlie” at the Regional Training Center (RTC) Bataan (RTC), joined the Philippine Coast Guard in response to the call to serve the country.
As a practicing attorney, his goal is to make positive changes to PCG law enforcement.
“The horrible situation of WPS … they face many challenges, especially in protecting our coastal waters, not just our coastal waters, but also in enforcing customs laws and other important laws,” Mr Gonzalez said in an interview with RTC Bataan last month.
Mr. Gonzalez is one of 130 trainees in the Alpha and Charlie classes in the joint class, and is currently in the boot camp phase of the four-month training program.
Charlie’s curriculum director, Ensign John Paolo R Bautista, told Businessworld that the beginner’s training camp phase focused on developing leadership and instilling military-like roles.
“Here, we need to take them out of our comfort zone. We need to teach them how to move quickly, how to do 10 counts, how to bathe in just 30 seconds or less, and how to eat in just 10 seconds.”
“There is a big difference between who they were and the training they were going through, and that will be their future weapon as a coast guard.”
The sirens echoed as early as 4:00 a.m., indicating that the trainees must have been out in the morning of aerobics, which included a series of push-ups, squats and running.
Morning chaos (breakfast), morning color and body conditioning, During this period, Student continue Conduct swimming training, focus on basic breathing techniques and swim Stroke.
Routine remains It is similar all day, often enduring in the heat of the sun until the end of the military period at 22:00.
For Mr. Gonzalez, abandoning his civilian habits and mindset was the hardest part of the training. But he is in “high morale”, sailing forward, thinking with his wife about the future of his children and his dream of serving PCG.
Winning navy blue and white uniforms is not easy, but Mr. Bautista said that with determination and adaptability, nothing is impossible.
