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SHIP
owners want to upgrade communication systems in
far-flung areas that have weak or no telephone signal at
all as a measure to prevent sea tragedies.
In a
recommendation given to the Maritime Industry Authority
(Marina) during the regulator’s special board meeting
Friday, the Philippine Interisland Shipping Association
(Pisa) also asked for a review on how the weather bureau
communicates weather conditions data to the public,
especially to ships.
Pisa
aired its concern after one of its members, Sulpicio
Lines Inc., blamed the Philippine Atmospheric,
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa)
for sending wrong information on the path of Typhoon
Frank on June 20 and 21, which may have contributed to
the sinking of the shipping firm’s ill-fated vessel,
Princess of the Stars.
Sulpico
Lines last week sued the weather bureau Pagasa for
giving them erroneous forecast and reports, an
allegation which Pagasa denied.
Sulpicio
maintained that no ship in the country has the ability
to forecast or see the actual movement of the storm, and
the country’s maritime regulator is not requiring
vessels to have such equipment.
Pisa
said that reviewing Pagasa and the country’s
communications systems are two of the most important
items that should be examined in the aftermath of the
Princess of the Stars tragedy that claimed hundreds of
lives.
Pisa
identified areas such as Sibuyan Island, Corregidor,
Bataan, Western Panay, Mindoro and certain parts of
Palawan that have weak or no telephone signal.
“Government is enjoined to take on this project with the
possibility of privatizing it when the time is right,
considering the huge investment it entails to improve
communication in such areas,” the group said in its
recommendation.
“To
ensure speedy dissemination of weather forecasts from
Pagasa, access via text-message systems can be worked
out with the telecommunications companies,” it added.
Pisa is
the umbrella organization of liners, roll-on, roll-off
passenger ships, tankers, tug boats and barge operators.
Pisa
said the Coast Guard should also be equipped with better
communication systems and all-weather vessels to respond
effectively during emergencies.
At the
hearings conducted by the Board of Marine Inquiry last
week, Pagasa said their bulletins are issued at 5 a.m.,
11 a.m., 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. These are beamed as voice
signals through a single-side band radio frequency and
are then transcribed by radio operators.
It is
crucial to determine why Sulpicio Lines’
24,000-gross-registered-ton vessel followed the path to
the eye of the storm when it could have avoided it, Pisa
said.
Pisa added it
supports Marina’s current order to ground the entire
fleet of Sulpicio Lines.
“We
would like to emphasize the importance of establishing a
clear and reasonable time frame within which the vessel
audit can be completed so as not to adversely affect
public service,” the association said. |
