PEOPLE line up to board a vessel in Negros Island Region (NIR) for Holy Week. (Glazyl Masculino)
BACOLOD CITY – The Coast Guard District Southern Visayas (CGDSV) monitored 9,110 travelers across the Negros Island Region (NIR) as of Wednesday, April 1.
The CDGSV said 4,331 were outbound passengers and 4,779 were inbound. No maritime incidents were recorded.
In line with the Department of Transportation’s Oplan Biyaheng Semana Santa and summer vacation initiatives, the CGDSV placed its districts, stations, and sub-stations in Negros Occidental, including this highly-urbanized city, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, under heightened alert from March 28 to April 5.
The move aims to ensure the safety and security of sea travelers during the peak travel season. A total of 501 personnel were deployed.
Authorities inspected 19 vessels, three motor bancas, and 29 rolling cargoes to ensure compliance with maritime safety standards.
In Siquijor, 63 personnel were assigned to support the Healing Festival 2026, ensuring the orderly and safe conduct of religious and cultural activities.
Malasakit Help Desks were established at seaports to strengthen maritime safety efforts, monitor passenger terminals, and enhance coordination among agencies.
These measures aim to prevent overcrowding, overloading, and maritime-related crimes while ensuring a safe and comfortable travel experience for the public.
The CGDSV urged the public to stay vigilant and actively participate in safety efforts through its reporting platform.
Meanwhile, four truck drivers tested positive for illegal drugs during a surprise random drug test conducted by the Land Transportation Office-Negros Island Region (LTO-NIR) at the Bacolod North Jeep Terminal in Barangay Bata here on Wednesday.
LTO-NIR Director Jeck Conlu said they were three wing van truck and one tractor drivers.
Their driver’s licenses were confiscated and automatically suspended as part of standard procedure pending further investigation, Conlu said.
He said that they will undergo confirmatory testing. Should the results remain positive, their licenses may face revocation.
The drug screening – conducted through urine samples – covered 157 public transport drivers as part of Oplan Harabas and Oplan Biyaheng Ayos during the Holy Week travel period.