Thousands more need not die

September 2 was a red-letter day for Philippine maritime modernization and safety as Starlite Ferries inaugurated in Kure near Hiroshima, Japan the very first brand-new, all-steel roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vessel purposely built for rough Philippine waters.

With Starlite Ferries president Alfonso Cusi and daughter Patricia Cusi-Ramos beaming with pride, the Starlite Pioneer was launched at the Kegoya Dockyard where the mighty Japanese battleship Yamato also took shape about a half century ago.

Thousands of Filipinos have already died in countless sea tragedies due to the continuing use of refurbished ships, including the majority of the 70 RoRos now serving the Philippine inter-island routes despite being over 20 years old and designed for Japan’s calmer waters.

If the other operators of inter-island in the Philippines really put a premium on the lives of the passengers they serve, they should follow the example of Starlite Ferries by putting their money where their mouths are.

When Starlite Pioneer begins sailing Philippine waters in December, it would stand out among the old RoRos that have been decommissioned in Japan after two decades and used again in the Philippines to the detriment of Filipinos.

So many countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada have issued advisories to its citizens and officials not to undertake inter-island travel in the Philippines precisely because so many RoRo operators have been gambling with the lives of their passengers.

This should change with the thrust of Starlite Ferries to stand out among its competitors by bringing in the Pioneer, hopefully one of the many brand-new, all-steel RoRos that would be brought to the Philippines from Japan to serve our inter-island routes.

Thousands more Filipinos need not die from preventable sea tragedies through the use of brand new RoRos specifically designed for our choppy waters. –End-      

Image by: StarliteFerry