Local chief executives have been ordered to check the permits and safety measures implemented in resorts, diving schools, and related service providers, to ensure the protection of people expected to flock to these facilities during the Holy Week break.

In Memorandum Circular 2012 dated March 28, 2012 of Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government, it said “LCEs/LGUs should check the permits of resort owners, diving schools, and related service providers to avoid swimming or diving accidents”.

A lot of people, especially students and workers who are on a long vacation, tend to go to swimming and diving sites in many parts of the country to cool off and enjoy their vacation, he added.

With the expected influx of vacationers in their areas, resort and diving spot owners should ensure the employment of sufficient lifeguards to closely monitor swimmers and divers safety, Robredo added in the memo, noting that accidents in the past involved diving-service providers with revoked or expired permits.

He also ordered the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to maintain peace and order and ensure the safety of commuters and the public during the Holy Week.

The PNP should be on the lookout for akyat-bahay gang members who will prey on empty houses, and pickpockets in crowded areas like land, sea, and air transport terminals where people converge to go to the provinces to spend their vacation, Robredo said in a DILG press release.

The BJMP, on the other hand, should be vigilant against jailbreaks, and the BFP for incidents of fire and other kinds of emergencies that may occur during the long vacation, he added.

LGUs, meanwhile, should step up safety and security measures in their respective areas, particularly in bus, jeepney, and tricycle terminals, the press release added.*

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