Beginning Wednesday, Oct. 25, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will place all of its operating units on a heightened alert in preparation for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan instructed coast guard districts, stations, and sub-stations nationwide to "intensify security and safety measures [in] all ports nationwide" until Nov. 5.

Gavan explained that the intensified security measures are part of efforts to ensure the orderly operations of sea transport facilities, convenient travel of the seafaring public, peaceful elections, and security of tourists in beach and private resorts nationwide amid the anticipated increased volume of maritime traffic.

"We conduct the 24/7 monitoring of nautical highways routes, especially in the Visayas where most tourist destinations are. Rest assured, we will ensure maritime security and safety in our western and eastern seaboards, including inter-island routes. Our deployable response groups and the PCG Auxiliary will be ready for these operations," Gavan said.

Western seaboard monitoring includes Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Aklan, Iloilo, and Zamboanga regions. 

Meanwhile, eastern seaboard monitoring covers Manila, Bicol region, Samar, Leyte, and Surigao provinces.

Overall, a total of 30,300 PCG personnel were dedicated for the poll duties. The security operations will be headed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) with 187,000 dedicated personnel, and augmented by 117,585 personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Gavan directed PCG personnel to observe vigilance when inspecting passengers and their luggages. 

The PCG chief said that medical teams will be placed onsite along with on-duty personnel to assist during emergencies. 

Coast Guard K9 units and security teams will conduct election precinct inspections to ensure a peaceful, safe, and honest conduct of elections. PCG personnel will also patrol maritime tourist destinations to augment lifeguards and first responders, he added.

"We will have safety inspectors in port terminals, law enforcement teams in strategic election locations, patrol teams in critical vicinity waters, and deployable response groups on standby for possible election security augmentations and rescue missions," Gavan noted.

Meanwhile, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. urged military personnel to "leave behind political affiliations and personal interests" as they aim to "create an environment where every Filipino can exercise their right to vote without fear and restriction."

"The AFP stands together with our partners from other government agencies and our counterparts in law enforcement to ensure peace and security during the BSKE on October 30," Brawner said.