SUSPENSION OF DRAGON BOAT ACTIVITIES STAYS IN BORACAY

ILOILO CITY—THE suspension of dragon boat activities in boracay will be in definite until the safety of the paddle rs are assured, an official of a multi agency task force said on Tuesday.

According to Natividad Bernardino, general manager of the boracay Interagency Rehabilitation Management Group, the directive of Environment Secretar yr o yc imatu issued last week will stay until the task force is “convinced that safety protocols are in place and will be implemented.”

Among these measur esa re the wearing of safety vests even during training sessions and requiring tho se s teering drago nb oats to undergo certification, she said.

Protocol review

Cimatu ordere dt he suspension of drago nb oat activities to allow the task force to r eview an di mprove safety protocols following the death of seven paddlers in an acciden to n Sept. 25.

The paddlers, all members of Boracay Drago nf orce team, were preparing for a competition and were transferring to a training venue when their boat was hit by a squall and capsized. Fourteen others were rescued.

Support for the fatalities’ famili esc ontinue dto pour in as resident s and paddlers continue dto mour nan do ffer tributes.

On Oct. 4, musicians and performers on boracay Island wi ll h old a “jamming session” at Bombo mba r to r aise funds for the victims’ families. The event ,set for noon to 12 a.m., is free but those attending a re encouraged to dona te f or the families of the seven paddlers.

An online fundraising drive (through https://www.gofundme.com/f/dragon-boat-team-tragedy) raised $6,525 (P339,205.39) as of Tuesday. A trust fund has been set up to r eceive donations whi chw ill be equally given to the families of t he v ictims, mos to f them breadwinners.