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MANILA—The Australian government yesterday advised its nationals to particularly avoid sea travel in the Philippines, citing the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars.
While the advisory tackled threats of terrorism and kidnapping, as well as the downgrading of the former Philippines Air Transportation Office (now the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines), the warning notably alluded to the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars off Sibuyan Island on June 21 at the height of typhoon "Frank."
"Sea travel in the Philippines is hazardous. You should not travel on ferries unless no other means of travel is available ... In June 2008, a ferry travelling between Manila and Cebu capsized during a typhoon. Around 800 passengers and crew died," said the warning posted on website www. smartraveller.gov.au run by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
It also cited a ferry fire in February 2004, for which terrorists claimed responsibility.
The warning added that storms can develop quickly in the country as it is the rainy season here and that ferries are often overloaded, not adequately maintained, and lack life-saving equipment.
It said standards maintained by search and rescue services, transport services and tour operators, including adventure activities such as scuba diving, may not be comparable to those in Australia.
Australia advised its nationals to ensure that their travel insurance policy covers planned activities.
The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) declined to comment, saying it is still looking into the advisory.
The Philippince Coast Guard (PCG) submitted on June 30 a memorandum to the Department of Transportation and Communication about the June 21 sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars.
The Coast Guard said that before the vessel was allowed to sail on June 20 at 8 p.m., PO1 Felix Rizaldy of the PCG advised the ship captain to take shelter if it would not be safe for a sea voyage or if signal no. 3 was raised in any part of the route or destination.
Rizaldy received the Master's Oath of Safe Departure (MOSD) from the ship captain where he did not declare any dangerous cargo on board.
The discretion in whether to sail under signal number 1 is left to the ship owner or to the captain of the ship.
On June 20, operations center of SLI was able to send PAG-ASA's weather bulletin no. 9 at 11 p.m. which states that Marinduque, Romblon, Aklan and Northern Antique is already placed in signal number 3.
With this, the ship should not have traversed through the waters near Marinduque going to Romblon.
Other ships of about the same time and day of departure were able to arrive safely in their destination by passing through a safer route and by taking shelter.
Our Lady of Good Voyage of Aboitiz Transport Services who left the port of Manila at 4:15 p.m. arrived safely in Coron, Palawan when it took safer route while Super Ferry 19 of Aboitiz Transport Service who left two hours ahead of MV Princess of the Stars sheltered in the Batangas area while monitoring the track of the typhoon and arrived safely.
On June 21 the Coast Guard Action Center received a call from the port captain of Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI) based at north Harbor, Manila reporting that MV Princess of the Stars had engine trouble and needs immediate assistance.
The coast guard immediately sent a ship towards the area but big waves forced it to turn back./With a report from Reporter Marian Z. Codilla
