By Lane Afable, News Editor
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will deploy 17,000 personnel nationwide for the expected surge of passengers during the Holy Week break and summer vacation.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemi Cayabyab said the alert status will run from March 28 to April 5 as travelers head to provinces and island destinations.
“We will be placing all our coast guard operating units, to include stations and sub-stations nationwide, [on a] heightened alert status from March 28 to April 5 in anticipation of [the] influx of passengers in seaports,” Cayabyab said.
The deployment forms part of “Oplan Biyaheng Ayos: Semana Santa 2026,” which mirrors last year’s operations but expands monitoring across key maritime corridors.
The PCG expects millions of passengers to pass through seaports, especially along inter-island routes in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Last year, PCG recorded three million inbound and outbound passengers at all ports nationwide.
For this year, the deployment will focus on ports, nautical highways, and coastal areas where passenger traffic is heaviest during the Lenten season.
Among the areas being monitored for heavy passenger traffic include ports in Southern Tagalog, Cebu, and Western Visayas.
“Malasakit” help desks, or temporary assistance stations, will also be set up in major ports to provide immediate assistance while PCG medical teams and response units will be on standby for emergencies.
Cayabyab said the operation involves coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and its maritime agencies, including the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Maritime Industry Authority Marina), along with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), and local governments.
Coast Guard K9 units will also be deployed at ports to screen passengers and baggage for prohibited items.
“We will also be deploying our K9 dogs to prevent the boarding of prohibited items such as flammable materials and explosives.
We remind our fellow citizens to avoid bringing such items to ensure their safety during travel,” Cayabyab said.
Stricter vessel inspections will also be enforced before departure as the PCG said no passenger will be allowed to board vessels unless they are listed on the manifest, and overloading will not be tolerated.
Aside from that, PCG units will also conduct patrols in beach destinations and island resorts.
“We will also conduct seaborne patrols in all beaches and island resorts nationwide to ensure a visible Coast Guard presence in case immediate response is needed for maritime incidents,” Cayabyab said, stressing that the PCG is on the lookout for the possible rise in the number of drowning incidents.
The PCG also urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.
“We will have help desks in all ports where they can be assisted or report any of the aforementioned undesirable situations or items,” Cayabyab said
