2,500 bancas registered
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) 11 registered over 2,500 sea vessels in Davao City.
The vessels underwent mandatory registration under the Safety, Security and Environmental Numbering (SSEN) System that aims to monitor the activities of sea vessels plying the Davao Gulf for maritime security.
PCG Commander George Maganto said yesterday that their information drive continues to inform owners of sea vessels, fishing boats (big and small), and passenger bancas to register their watercrafts at their office.
He added that the numbering system is under the PCG Department Order number 2017-001, requiring all Philippine registered sea vessels to register with PCG to monitor all the movements of watercrafts in the area.
"So far sa target namin na 2,000 na motorized bangca, actually last week we have finish our 2,000 target and continuous pa ang numbering system namin. As of this time, we already reached 2,500 plus," Maganto said.
The unified numbering system is seen to suppress lawless violence at sea, which includes kid-
napping, piracy, smuggling, and other criminal activities. It would also allow law enforcers to determine if the water vessel is from the city or not given the numbering system like the one in Land Transportation Office (LTO).
Maganto added that they are making rounds to coastal barangays in the city to inform the public on the new policy instead of directing the stakeholders go to their office.
PCG is using spray paint to paint the plate number of bancas with blue background and a combination of alphanumeric in white color which will indicate their registration number for identification purposes.
They would require proof of ownership or certificate from the barangay of the owners before it will be painted.
They initially targeted to complete all the paintings of sea vessels by first week of September but they moved it to September 15 after many owners went to them to be registered.
After the registration, they will conduct operation and if they encounter unregistered vessels, they will impound it until the owner could provide the needed requirements.