The Philippine Coast Guard has deployed the high-speed response boat 053 (HSRB-053) in northern Negros Occidental to strengthen maritime operations in the coastal communities, passenger routes and protected waters of the Visayan Sea.
Coast Guard District Southern Visayas commander Commodore Christopher Auro and Sagay City Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva led the blessing and inauguration of the vessel at the city’s feeder port in Barangay Old Sagay on Tuesday.
“This deployment strengthens the Coast Guard’s operational presence in Negros and reflects the national government’s continuing investment in faster maritime response capabilities,” Auro said in a statement on Wednesday.
HSRB-053 is the second high-speed response boat deployed in the Negros Island Region, after the first unit was deployed earlier in Siaton, Negros Oriental.
The 12 to 15-meter vessel, constructed using fiberglass-reinforced plastic, is designed as a fast and highly maneuverable platform for near-shore and inter-island operations.
It is capable of speeds exceeding 30 knots and is intended to bridge the operational gap between larger offshore patrol vessels and smaller boats, allowing Coast Guard personnel to respond more quickly to emergencies and maritime threats.
Auro told the personnel assigned to operate and maintain the vessel to uphold high standards of professionalism, discipline, competence, and operational readiness.
“Our equipment may give us greater capability, but it is the dedication, judgment and courage of our people that ultimately determine the success of every mission,” he said.
Cueva said the Visayan Sea, which hosts the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve, needs continued protection that requires significant manpower, equipment, partnerships and sustained enforcement.
“Protecting the Sagay Marine Reserve is also protecting the livelihood of our fisherfolk. We need all the help we can get, and this high-speed response boat will be a big help not only in protecting our waters but also in promoting the safe passage of passengers traveling between islands,” he added. (PNA)
