Maayo Shipping vessels (File photo) DUMAGUETE CITY - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) here on Friday suspended the operations of sea vessels with a gross tonnage (GT) of 250 and below plying the Negros Oriental route following a gale warning issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Lt. Jr. Grade Mark Anthony Tolentino, Negros Oriental Coast Guard Station commander, cited PAGASA's gale warning issued at 5 a.m. that said strong to gale-force winds associated with the northeast monsoon will affect parts of the countryin his notice addressed to mariners, ship owners, Philippine Ports Authority, and Maritime Industry Authority. All sea vessels below the 250 GT were advised not to venture out to sea to avert incidents. Maayo Shipping, Inc. barges weighing more than 250 GT continued their trips plying the Negros Oriental to Cebu and vice-versa trips. Dante Uymatiao, proprietor and manager of Maayo Shipping, told the Philippine Ne
DAVAO CITY - A mass grave site will soon be built in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte as the town's public cemetery runs out of space due to mounting deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), an official said Wednesday. Mart Dumali Sambalud, Sto. Tomas information officer, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA), that they are currently scouting a lot for the site. "We are eyeing an [local government unit]-owned property here and it will eventually be used as the site," he said. The Covid-19 Task Force of Santo Tomas noted a significant rise in the number of deaths in Santo Tomas due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. As of October 5, Santo Tomas has registered a total of 141 pandemic-related deaths. Sambalud said the Santa Cruz Public Cemetery located in Barangay San Jose could no longer accommodate burials since the graves had already run-up to the boundary line of the cemetery. "As per Covid-19 regulations on the management of the dead, those who die that cannot afford