Additional Philippine Coast Guard units have been deployed to Mindoro as security measures are stepped up in seaports nationwide amid an influx of passengers going to the provinces for the Holy Week.

Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said that on top of all major ports in Manila, additional PCG units were also deployed to the ports of Calapan and Roxas in Oriental Mindoro and Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro.

The PCG Deployable Response Group deployed is composed of Sea Marshals, Special Operations Group, K-9 personnel, and members of Special Medical Assistance Response Teams( SMART), Tamayo said.

He said that ship inspectors and Coast Guard Canine teams will conduct random checks on passengers and luggage more than the usual.

At the same time, help desks were set up to assist sea travellers as part of government’s “Oplan Mahal na Araw” security campaign.

Tamayo said the DOTC Passengers Assistance Centers “will particularly help ensure the orderly, safe and secure conduct of embarkation of passengers and loading of cargo so as to give the PCG Boarding Teams ample time for boarding and inspection of vessels prior to departure.”

The other major ports with additional PCG units are the ports of Batangas, Cebu and Zamboanga. Other busy ports where security forces are beefed up are the ports of Odiongan in Romblon, Romblon; Dalahican in Lucena City; Balanacan, Kawit and Sta.Cruz in Marinduque; Atimonan and Puerto Real in Quezon; Matnog in Sorsogon; Allen in Samar; Lipata in Surigao; Balingoan in Misamis Orriental; and Camiguin, among others.