Sea voyages in C. Visayas resume as weather condition improves

MANILA: All voyages for bigger vessels in Central Visayas are back to normal on Tuesday after the Philippine Coast Guard-Cebu Station issued notice to mariners (NOTAM) lifting the suspension of trips due to improvement in weather condition. PCG-Cebu acting station commander Mark Larsen Mariano said they based the lifting of suspension of sea travel to the tropical cyclone bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Monday night that said Tropical Depression Kabayan weakened into remnant low pressure area. 'In this connection, all voyages that was temporarily suspended are hereby lifted but due to Gale Warning No. 6, which affects the country, brought by the 'strong to gale-force winds associated with northeast monsoon, shear line, and low-pressure area', Coast Guard Station Central Cebu is still enforcing temporary suspension of voyage of all type of vessels/watercrafts below 250 GT (gross tonnage) as proactive measures in order to avert marit ime accidents,' the notice to mariners said. Mariano said vessels that are taking shelters are allowed as long as they manifested their request in a letter, reminding further that no passengers are allowed on board while at the anchorage. In a forum, PAGASA-Mactan chief weather specialist Alfredo Quiblat Jr. said the weather has improved on Tuesday. 'We have an improved weather condition in the sense that as compared to yesterday (Monday) (wherein) we have continuous rain (for) the whole day, today we can see the sun,' he told reporters attending the Open Line forum hosted by journalist Erik Espina. Meanwhile, Department of Social Welfare and Development-Central Visayas regional director Shalaine Marie Lucero told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday that they provided PHP181,451.71 worth of food items like family food packs, ready-to-eat food and bottles of water to the families of the 2,022 locally-stranded individuals in the region. Source: Philippines News Agency