DUMAGUETE CITY, Dec. 18 -- The Coast Guard in Negros Oriental deployed more personnel to different ports beginning Thursday in anticipation of an influx of travelers for the holidays.

Lt. Marionne Abigal Enopia, Coast Guard Station Negros Oriental commander, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview that they began implementing their security plan two days earlier, as people have already started arriving in the province.

"We were supposed to start our Oplan Ligtas Byaheng Pasko on Saturday, but our district commander, Commodore Christopher Auro, wanted us to start early so we can maximize our operations," Enopia said.

The Coast Guard has already set up its Malasakit help desks and deployed K-9 sniffing dogs at passenger terminals...