Case of the Overcrowded Ship In October 1980, MV Don Juan sailed from Manila to Bacolod carrying many Negrenses coming home for the much hyped initial celebration of the Masskara Festival. The staff ignored the capacity limit of the marine vessel as many students were going home for their semestral break vacation. Halfway through the trip, MV Don Juan sank along with hundreds of passengers. The Supreme Court ruled that the gross negligence of the staff caused one of the worst sea disasters in the country. Many men, women and children drowned and the entire country mourned over the tragedy. The courts found out in the records that MV Don Juan was overloaded when it left the Port of Manila. What do you think are the responsibilities of marine vessel staff when selling tickets? Why should shipping companies observe the capacity limit of the marine vessels they operate? What kind of penalties may be imposed on violating shipping companies? What government agency regulates the sea worthiness of marine vessels? Give some examples of safety measures that may be undertaken or implemented by shipping companies. Mention other disasters at sea that has happened in the Philippines from 1980 to the present. How do these disasters differ from the MV Don Juan experience? 4