CEBU CITY, Cebu, April 4 (PIA) -- To address the expected surge of passengers and tourists, the Office of Civil Defense Region 7 teamed up with various government agencies for the Oplan Biyaheng Ayos 2023.

Police Regional Office 7 (PRO7) Police Major Marvin Fegarido disclosed that more than 4,000 personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Armed Forces of the Philippines, and force multipliers will be deployed in churches, terminals, ports, tourist spots, commercial areas, and other areas of convergence.

Effective 12:00 p.m. on April 2, PRO7 was placed on full alert status.

Safety tips and precautionary measures were also shared during the meeting on April 3. 

For those who are leaving their homes during vacation

•    Don’t let many people know you are leaving your home unattended;

•    Make sure house doors are locked;

•    Make sure that appliances are unplugged;  

•    As much as possible, use burglars alarms or install CCTV. The PNP is urging the public to invest in high-security lock mechanisms to secure their houses; and 

•    Ask some force multipliers in the barangay (village) to check your house from time to time.

In using social media

•    Do not share flight information such as a clear picture of your passport and flight details, if you must share, at least wait until you return home from the trip.

•    Keep your plans to yourself or your family and make meetups private; and

•    Do not post information of your trip real time, this may indicate that there is nobody inside your residences. You might have to delay posting your pictures/videos if you want to safeguard your belongings.

For those who are traveling using their own car, always follow these tips:

•    Plan your drive, drive your plan. run the BLOWBAGETS checklist (Battery, Light, Oil, Water, Brakes, Air, Gas, Engine, Tires and Self)

•    Install Smartphone apps that can be useful in planning a roadtrip by selecting the shortest and safest route; and identifying motorist assistance points, rest stops and location of police outposts.

•    Vehicle documents such as Certificate of Registration (CR), Official Receipt (OR) as well as the driver’s license should be kept inside the vehicle in case of emergency and checkpoint; 

•    See to it that the driver had enough rest and in good condition before going on a long drive; and

•    Keep calm while driving and always obey the traffic rules and speed limits.

For travelers using bus terminals, airports and seaports:

•    Arrive early in terminals, sea and air ports when traveling with the elderly and children;

•    Secure your tickets and passports;

•    Avoid wearing expensive pieces of jewelry;

•    Look after your belongings and constantly check them;

•    Be alert against snatchers; and 

•    If possible, travel light.

Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) together with GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation and all airport stakeholders will have passenger help desks installed to immediately assist passenger concerns.

MCIAA Airport Police Division security personnel and representatives of the Department of Tourism are assigned to the help desks.

MCIAA would also work closely with airport authorities and transport partners to provide passengers easy access to public transportation.

Following the PAGASA Mactan fair weather with high heat index update for the entire week, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) will also hold bus inspections for aircons to avoid heat strokes and dehydration of passengers.

The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) will only allow passengers with boat tickets and valid Identification Cards (IDs) to enter into the port at least two hours from the scheduled departure time.

The CPA will strictly implement the “No ticket, No ID, No Entry Policy.” (MYP/PIA7)