SAILING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (SUI)

A ship tragedy. And then another one. The culprits? Inebriated ship captains and their crew, and the usual overloaded vessels.

Practically every ship owner is guilty of greed for overloading their vessels and making more profit while totally disregarding the safety and comfort of their paying passengers.

The government shares equal blame. This is one area in its operations where proper discharge of duties to protect the public is practically nil. Include in this accusation the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the maritime industry.

To picture vividly how ships are normally (over) loaded, passengers always say that they are packed four (4) to a bed while hundreds more sleep on the decks. This is the usual story about our inter-island ships. It is a wonder why they are still allowed to operate after ignoring the law for so long.

I recall passengers leaving for the Visayas telling me how they have to be on board at least a day before departure so they can assure themselves of space and how they have to shell out money to crew members who sell rights to beds and preferred areas like those near comfort rooms and the kitchen.

One wonders how such collisions still take place. It seems that the vast oceans aren't big enough at all for them. Blame it on grog perhaps, or plain and good old fashioned stupidity? And aren't these vessels supposed to be equipped with electronic safety equipment, especially radar to avoid accidents in the open seas, unless of course there are still vessels whose owners are so greedy they don't even care to spend for safety equipment and electronic devices.

And so, another investigation leading to another blank wall where no one really goes to jail for such crimes. For a change, the Marina authority and the Philippine Coast Guard must implement maritime laws in its strictest sense. It's time the government turn its attention to the deplorable state of sea travel in this country.

All ocean-going vessels which treat their passengers like cattle to the slaughter must be scrapped and forever banned from plying the high seas.

(Image from http://www.javno.com/)

GMDSS (GIVE ME DEATH, SULPICIO SINKS)

The Philippine government once upon a time purchased a GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System) to the tune of P700 (plus) million pesos. To this day, that same equipment is still in a container rotting somewhere (since 1999), and according to Lt. Sr. Grade Armand Balilo, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman, that GMDSS is already outmoded and obsolete and hinted that it may not match and be compatible to the other equipment in many of the ships sailing our seas today. Who is the contractor responsible for this? I believe this equipment was purchased during DOTC's former Secretary Josie Lichauco's term, and who seems to know a lot on the history of the procurement of this equipment. Why wasn't it put to good use? Simply put, we need this equipment badly since it is an international system using advanced communications technology, and its main purpose is to enhance ship-to-shore communications by providing a rapid and automated distress alerting system with positional information. In short, it's the eyes and ears for all ships that set out to sea. In the case of the PCG and Sulpicio Lines, they relied too heavy on texting provided for by Globe and Smart. Now, that wasn't too smart for them at all. What if the ship's captain 'ran out of load?' It's time our congressmen help our Philippine Coast Guard by first improving on their alloted budget for modernization. Otherwise, any ship that leaves our piers is basically on its own, and that's one position none of them would like to be - unless of course you're Sulpicio Lines who seems to like getting its ships in trouble when they're out at sea. They either bump, burn or sink.

(Image from http://www.icselectronics.net/)

FUNERARIA SULPICIO

Malapit na ba si lolo o si lola? 'Wag nang maabala. May kaibigan kang nakahanda sumikat man ang araw o bumagyo. FUNERARIA SULPICIO maaasahan. Our motto: "Our Business Is Dead."

(Image from http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/)

NOT AN "ACT OF GOD" BUT AN "ACT OF STUPIDITY"

It's very clear now that the thick-skinned owners and lawyers and apologists of Sulpicio Lines are blaming everybody except themselves. They even blame God when they declared that the tragedy was an "act of God." It wasn't an act of God. It was an "act of stupidity." - on their part. Since day one of the crisis, all they ever accomplished was make life harder for the relatives of their victims by callousness, indifference, and sheer lack of sympathy - to a point of arrogance. It's not like this is the very first time such tragedy ever happened to the shipping line. This is just a repeat of what had already occured in the past. And to this day, they still are a bunch of amateurs when it comes to dealing with a crisis such as this - by blaming every Tom, Dick and Harry on the sea. It's high time they are punished and must be prohibited from operating for now until they show genuine reforms by first thinking of safety each time any of their vessels sets out to sea. Otherwise, let all their ships be used as habitat for barnacles from hereon.

(Image from http://farm4.static.flickr.com/)

"SORRY YOU MISSED THE BOAT!"

Here's a funny joke. While visiting Washington on an official trip, and after closely monitoring the tragic news over the deaths of a number of Filipinos from the ill-fated M/V Princess Of The Stars, President Arroyo finally decided to call the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the sibling owners of Sulpicio Lines. On separate calls, she asked them the same question why the ship was allowed to sail even at the height of Typhoon Frank, to which they answered similarly, "Ma'am, we thought you were on board!"

(Image from http://nytimes.com/)

THEY GO ON A JUNKET WHILE THEIR KABABAYANS KICK THE BUCKET

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the word 'Junket' as "a trip made by a public official at the expense of the public." Undertow defines it simply as "a picnic or an excursion paid for by someone else." Guess who that "someone else" is. And that clearly is what has taken place recently when President Gloria Arroyo and her cabal of useless government men boarded a chartered plane to the US at the height of 'Typhoon Frank.' The same typhoon that capsized the M/V Princess Of The Stars just a few days ago, snuffing out the dear lives of close to 800 Filipinos. At times like these, don't you wish these GMA sycophants took a Sulpicio vessel instead of a PAL aircraft to their destination? I would think so too. And that is also why it would be best for Sulpicio Lines to just sell off its fleet of ships for scrap metal. Sulpicio's perwisyo and lack of safety precautions is responsible for the deaths of many people. Look closely at the news. Who do you think were many of the survivors of the ship? The vessel's crew! Let's take a look back in history concerning Sulpicio Lines' memorable dates: In 1987, the M/V Dona Paz collided with an oil tanker in Tablas Strait. The tragedy claimed more than 4,000 deaths and was believed to be the world's biggest peacetime sea tragedy. In 1988, M/V Dona Marilyn, sailing from Manila to Leyte encountered gigantic waves brought about by Typhoon Unsang and capsized, killing 250 people. Strangely enough, the Board of Marine Inquiry deemed it to be "an act of God," and therefore ruled that no one was responsible. In 1998, the M/V Princess Of The Orient, travelling to Cebu from Manila sank at the height of Typhoon Gading. 150 people died there, and the Justice Department ruled that Sulpicio Lines could not be held liable for the tragedy. When something of this nature happens once, then it may be just purely accidental. But, for it to happen 3 or even 4 times - now that's criminal negligence! This government must, in the name of those who perished and their respective family members, do something. As it is, it's the same old song played every year. When some tragedy happens, then they call for an "inquiry" leading to nothing. No one ever goes to jail for crimes committed and for the senseless deaths of scores of people. It's the culture of impunity again and again. Once and for all, would this government please throw anyone and everyone responsible for this in jail! Please? A word of advice to you squatters in Malacanang, government junketeers, you shameless cabinet secretaries, you shameless congressmen, you shameless governors and undersecretaries and military officers: next time you plan a junket to the US, go there via one of Sulpicio Lines' vessels. And I promise you, It's a trip you would surely die for.

(Image from http://www.stuff.co.nz/)