No sea operations in Manila Bay Nov 5-16 for ASEAN Summit

MANILA, Philippines – Sea operations in Manila Bay will be prohibited from November 5 to 16 as part of security measures for the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said.

Undersecretary Catalino Cuy, DILG officer-in-charge, said in a statement on Friday, November 3, that the “No Sail Zone” covers all types of vessels.

The directive will cover the vicinity of waters from the H2O Hotel in Manila to Okada Hotel at New Seaside Drive in Parañaque City, said Cuy, who  chairs the Committee on Security, Peace and Order, Emergency Preparedness and Response (CSPOEPR).

“Maximum maritime security is part of our safety preparations to ensure that the short stay of our ASEAN delegates in our country will be as peaceful, safe, and secure as possible,” he said.

Cuy added that  during the 12-day period, the shoreline from H2O Hotel to the mouth of the Pasig River will be designated as a “controlled zone” – all vessels coming in and out of the shoreline will be escorted by Philippine Coast Guard (PSG) patrol boats.

The DILG said that vicinity waters within one nautical mile from the restricted areas are not covered by the directive.

Cuy said that all ASEAN vessels will be required to submit their passenger manifests to the PCG 3 days prior to docking, while all passenger vehicles will be required to submit their manifest a day before docking or sailing.

“We…request for the full cooperation and understanding of our seafarers so that the upcoming ASEAN Summit will be safe and incident-free,” he said. – Rappler.com