No Easter-beach party bonding picnics as yet

CORTES, Bohol, April 11 (PIA)—The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Bohol has reminded everyone who may have plans laid out for the Easter Sunday, to just lay them aside until everything has been restored in the proper order. 

In a message sent to PIA Bohol, PCG Lt. Junior Grade Tristan Erediano of Coast Guard Western Bohol and Lieutenant Patrick John Cabasag have asked the public to keep off the beaches and possibly reschedule their traditional picnics until the anti-coronavirus disease (COVID) measures would be lifted. 

“Let us refrain from picnics and the traditional Easter beach parties to bond,” the coast guard officials urged. 

All across the country, the government has imposed social distancing measures, to make sure that the virus, which can be transmitted through respiratory droplets as an infected person coughs or sneezes, distancing could help stop the spread of the disease. 

With this, a local executive order has suspended classes, cockfights, closed non-essential establishments and regulated the hours of business operations of essential establishments to discourage mass gatherings of people. 

In several areas where enhanced community quarantines are declared, authorities institute strict “stay at home policies,” imposed strict travel restrictions especially to those for people crossing town borders, and a curfew for minors and over 65 years old who are not engaged in agricultural work for food production. 

The measures, authorities deemed, would critically deny the virus the chance to get to people. 

“We are still on Enhanced Community Quarantine, with the extension which Executive Order No 22 instituted, let us faithfully keep to that, both officials appealed. 

Moreover, the PCG authorities maintain the position on the “No Sail Policy,” hoisted all over the country. 

The “No Sail Policy,” however does not cover local fishing boats who occasionally go out to fish, however PCG authorities reminded boat operators to make sure they have with them the proper documents all the time as the government patrol boats would be conducting inspections in high seas. 

Recently, two foreign nationals tried coming in via cargo vessels, but the PCG authorities intercepted the duo still on board the vessel, before they could set foot in Bohol. 

The foreign nationals, who accordingly operates a resort in Panglao, allegedly showed travel documents issued by high officials, but LtJg Erediano reports that even then, the inbound passengers were sent back to Cebu, because of the travel ban imposed here. 

“We do not discriminate, rich or poor, we are here to impose the law and protect Bohol,” Erediano bared. 

This too, amidst reports that several people have attempted to sneak into Bohol using fishing boats. 

Coast Guard and the Regional Mobile Group elements however are now deployed guarding the seas and the coastlines in Bohol towns facing Cebu. 

When Bohol coast lines may just be too wide for the authorities to keep an eye on, PCG authorities urged anyone who has information about any breach in the security and attempts to land in Bohol shores to report. 

Any landing must be reported to authorities in these hotlines: 09178163121- Coast Guard Western Bohol (Garcia Hernandez-Jagna to Talibon area) and 09954015813- Coast Guard Sub-Station Tagbilaran (Valencia-Tagbilaran to Getafe). (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol) 

NO SAIL POLICY. The PCG “No sail policy,” may not apply to small fishers who sail out to feed families and communities, but Coast Guard authorities informs those who venture out to the open to be ready with their documents and boat registrations for boarded inspections on the high seas, all to make sure nobody slips through the dragnet spread to prevent inbound passengers from setting foot in Bohol and starting the feared infection here. (PIABohol/foto from the PCG Bohol) 

REACTIVE OR PROACTIVE. In guarding Bohol against the threat of coronavirus which might come with any inbound passenger trying to sneak into the island, the PCG may have to intercept, board apprehend and file suits against persons who would attempt to unsettle the balance maintained here while Bohol has registered no COViD cases to date. (PIABohol/Photo by PCG Bohol)