Photo courtesy from PCG
REPRESENTATIVE Ustadz Yusop T. Alano today called for the immediate and comprehensive modernization of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) following revelations in the Committee on Transportation meeting regarding critical equipment gaps that hindered the search and rescue operations for the MV Trisha Kerstin 3.
During the hearing, Alano highlighted a distressing timeline: while the vessel sank in the early hours of January 26, its exact location was not identified until February 3—a full nine days later. The lawmaker argued that these delays are unacceptable when lives are hanging in the balance.
“Ang timeliness ng rescue operation natin ay napakahalaga dahil naniniwala tayo na yung mga unang oras ay mahalaga po yan. Maaring kung maaga yung responses natin ay makasagip pa tayo ng buhay,” Alano said.
The inquiry revealed that the PCG faced significant technical constraints, including a lack of side-scanning sonar and the inability to conduct deep-sea diving without specialized tri-mix gas equipment. Alano questioned why such basic recovery and detection tools were not readily available to responders in the region.
“Bakit tayo umabot ng 9 days? Wala ba tayong mga sonar, mga ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles) para ma-detect natin yung exact location talaga?” Alano asked during his interpellation. He emphasized that locating a wreck immediately is vital because of the possibility of air pockets that could sustain survivors trapped inside the vessel.
To prevent future tragedies from being compounded by slow response times, Rep. Alano urged the national government to prioritize the PCG’s modernization pipeline, specifically the acquisition of high-speed assets and aerial support.
“Part ng modernization ng Coast Guard, dapat mag-purchase ng mga fast-track na vessels para talagang mabilis yung pag-responde, pati po rotary aircraft po sana para makapag-responde tayo at ma-direct ang rescue operations,” Alano stated.
The lawmaker noted that while the PCG personnel on the ground did their best with limited resources, the “lag of time to response” caused by geographic distances and equipment limitations must be addressed through legislation and funding.
“Isa sa mga dapat nating talagang i-improve ay ang ating search and rescue, at isama natin yung kakayahan natin na mag-determine ng location ng mga ganitong insidente. Please, ma-modernize natin yung Philippine Coast Guard,” Alano concluded.
Alano reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the maritime “highways” of Mindanao and island provinces like Basilan are equipped with world-class safety and rescue capabilities, asserting that “every loss of life at sea demands answers, and those answers must lead to change”.
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