Roro riders should get out of their cars

THE regional office of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina 11) urged the cooperation of the passengers of the roll-on-rolloff (Roro) vessel in Sasa to disembark from their vehicles while crossing between Davao City and the nearby Island Garden City of Samal and not insist on staying inside their vehicles.

Marina 11 Regional Director Felisa Orongan said yesterday during the AFP-PNP press forum at Davao City Police Office (DCPO) conference Hall said motorists are resisting this policy after being allowed to stay in their vehicles for years now.

Orongan said that the proper protocol should be the passengers, including the driver who is inside their vehicle must go out from their vehicles as soon as the vessel leaves port and proceed to the passenger accommodation in the upper deck for their safety where life jacket and safety gears are prepared.

This will ensure that the allotted capacity for the watercraft set by Marina is exactly followed unlike now, where there is an overcrowding of passengers because of a separate count for walk-in passengers and those who are inside vehicles.

“The policy has been there ever since and ang mga sumasakay sa ferry natin, all those vehicles are required to disembark, turn off the engine ng kanilang mga sasakyan. After that, they have to go to the accommodation ng passengers sa taas where our life saving apparatus or equipment are located,” she said.

Marina is partnering with the Philippine Coast Guard (PSG) which is their implementing arm to regulate the passengers and advised them to follow the proper system.

“The risk is still the same, (whether) one hour or ten minutes. Pag may nangyari sa ferry natin and God forbid malunod ang barko we will go down with the ship. Hindi kayo makakalabas sa vehicles,” she explained.

Currently, there are six ferry boats that are operating owned by private individuals.

Orongan also discouraged walk-in passengers from taking the Roro and instead ride the passenger boats from Km. 11 inside the Sasa market because Roros are for vehicles and not passengers.

She urged the city government to improve the ferry boat landing at Km. 11 so that passengers will take the ride from there. As it is, the ferry land at Km. 11 is through a narrow market corridor that can turn muddy.