By Wilnard Bacelonia
MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday urged holiday travelers to remain vigilant against individuals taking advantage of the heavy influx of passengers at ports.
“Pinapaalalahanan po natin ang ating mga kababayan, lalong-lalo na iyong gustong umuwi sa kanilang probinsiya, na bagama’t madami ang mga pasahero na dagsa ngayon sa ating mga pantalan at baka mayroon silang ma-experience na nananamantala na nanghihingi sa kanila ng pera para matulungan (While many are traveling to their provinces during this peak season, we remind everyone to avoid entertaining individuals soliciting money in exchange for assistance),” PCG spokesperson Commodore Armando Ricafrente said in an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
“Sana po ay huwag nating tangkilikin ito at i-report kaagad sa pinakamalapit na himpilan ng Philippine Coast Guard o ng iba pang sangay ng ahensiya kagaya ng Philippine National Police (If you encounter such incidents, please report them immediately to the nearest Philippine Coast Guard station or other authorities like the PNP).”
Ricafrente emphasized that ensuring an organized and fair boarding process at ports remains a priority of the PCG.
He encouraged passengers to follow proper ticketing and booking procedures, which operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Ito ay para mas ma-ensure natin na maayos at walang inggitan sa pagpasok ng pasahero na as much as possible ay maging first-come to first-served basis, depende doon sa mga booking nila at sa pagkuha nila ng ticket para organisado iyong daloy ng ating mga pasahero (This will help ensure smoother passenger flow and reduce tensions that as much as possible, there will be a first-come, first served basis, depending on their booking and ticket for our passengers, to be organized),” Ricafrente added.
He assured that they would continue to collaborate with other agencies to ensure public safety and security at the nation’s ports, anticipating a higher volume of passengers starting Friday.
Last year, Ricafrente recalled that about 132,000 passengers were recorded on the 26th of December, which bloated to more than 233,000 on the 27th.
Vigilance vs. holiday-themed scams
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Thursday urged the public to be vigilant against holiday-themed fraudulent schemes proliferating during this season of gift-giving and online shopping.
“Maraming scammer ang naghahanap ng pagkakataon para manloko (Many scammers are looking for an opportunity to deceive people),” he said in a news release.
He underscored the importance of heeding the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) advice to avoid clicking links embedded in suspicious text messages.
“Huwag po tayong magpapadala sa mga mensaheng hindi natin kilala ang pinagmulan (Don’t be deceived by the messages from unknown sources),” he said.
Pimentel reiterated the NTC’s call for citizens to report suspicious text messages and online scams through their website or by contacting the NTC Hotline at 1682.
He called everyone to take proactive steps to protect themselves and their families from these fraudulent activities. (Leonel Abasola/PNA)
