Frank's Fury outshines Sulpicio Lines

Lessons never learned*.

That best describes the latest rage brought about by typhoon Frank (Int'l Name: Fengshen) in Visayas and Southern Luzon. The highlight of which is another tragedy courtesy of the ill-fated M/V Princess of the Stars which sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province, in broad daylight last Saturday after sustaining a whole. With her is the almost 700 unassuming passengers bound for Cebu. As of noontime today, at least 400 are feared dead.

The story suggests an old, same rhetoric. The Coast Guard gave a go signal for the 23 tonnage ship with a capacity of almost 2 000 passengers in the face of a threat of typhoon Frank as raised by PAG-ASA early Friday. PAG-ASA issued a Public Storm Signal No. 3 in Bicol and Southwesteren Luzon, including Romblon Island. For some unknown reasons, that the Coast Guard allowed the ship to sail off. In fact, calculations revealed by PAG-ASA that Frank will pass by Mindoro Island Friday night and Saturday morning, and knowing that Romblon Strait is adjacent to Mindoro Island, thus, a direct hit.

A local official in Romblon sounded the alarm of a ship that sank upside down late Saturday at least 3 kilometers off their town's shores. And that was the initial facts. The anticipated realities are the bloated bodies, innocent souls of children and women, the trauma to survivors, and the weeping families and loved ones. On the other hand, officials are expected to point at each other on the blame, while policiticians would take on the screen for their free grandstanding via the tragedy.

Speaker Nograles was right and more so, redundant, that it can be prevented. As with previous Sulpicio Lines tragedies, human error is always in the play. He added, that a five sea mishap from one shipping line is no coincidence. Sulpicio Lines has made a name for itself, as Guiness World Record holder for the worst sea tragedy during peacetime courtesy of M/V Dona Paz in 1987 which sank in almost the same area where Star sank and claimed and estimated 4 000 lives. The following year, another tragedy claimed 200 lives. In 1998, M/V Princess of the Orient, then the biggest passenger vessel in the country sank off the coast of Cavite and Bataan killing almost 200.

Without prejudice that Sulpicio might and should be morally and financially liable of these accidents. In the other side of the fence, government authorities, especially PCG has its own share of negligence to have allowed the sailing of a doomed ship at the height of super typhoon. Its not enough to make their heads roll from thier airconditioned offices, their body should also roll in the grounds of city jails, if not Munti.

Indeed accidents happen at the most unexpected times, but this one is something that can be expected or anticipated. My mother then was right, you must be ahead of everything, even if that means sacrificing your time and comfort if it means, life. PCG is inutile. Sulpicio meanwhile has to suffer the gravest of punishment even if that would mean suspension of their license, if only to ensure safety of passengers in the future. I wont allow myself to suffer the same fate when in the future I have to take the ship ride from Dumaguete-Manila and vice versa courtesy of Sulpicio's sailing coffin.

*Whatever the outcome of the investigation, I would make it a point not to take the boat ride when I go home to Negros. Sulpicio Lines' MV Princess of the Carribean and Cotabato is plying the DGT-MNL-DGT route once a week, and I've been onboard for several times. I'd rather take the plane or the RO-RO trip even if that means extra money and time.