SECURITY FOR BACOLAODIAT. Col. Henry Biñas (center), city police director, with Bacolaodiat Festival 2020 chair Oddette Ong-Gomez (2nd from right), leads the send-off of troops and resources for the 15th Bacolaodiat Festival, in a ceremony held at the Bacolod City Police grounds on Thursday afternoon (Jan. 30. 2020). The three-day festival will be held from January 31 to February 2 in two venues -- the Bacolod City Government Center and the Lacson Tourism Strip. (PNA photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver)
BACOLOD CITY -- Almost 1,000 security personnel, mainly from the Philippine National Police (PNP), have been deployed to secure the three-day 15th Bacolaodiat Festival, Bacolod’s Chinese New Year celebration, which kicks off on Friday.
Col. Henry Biñas, city police director, led the send-off of troops and resources in a ceremony held at the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) grounds on Thursday afternoon.
“I urged everyone to help maintain peace and order in Bacolod. Let us show the people of Bacolod and the visitors that the city is a place worthy to live in and do business,” he said.
Biñas noted that while only four crime incidents were reported during last year’s Bacolaodiat Festival, they still aim for zero crime for the duration of the festivities this year.
“As much as possible, we should prevent crimes. I told (the troops) to behave properly. Anybody who will misbehave will affect the performance of the police in securing the festival,” he added.
Biñas said a skeletal force would start patrolling the two festival sites – the Bacolod City Government Center grounds and the Lacson Tourism Strip – while the rest of the troops would be deployed during the festival opening on Friday afternoon.
He also reminded gun owners to avoid carrying guns as the PNP would suspend the permits to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) from 12:01 a.m. of January 31 until 12:01 a.m. of February 3.
Lt. Col. Lester Leada, chief of the operations management unit and information action center for the Bacolaodiat Festival 2020, said a total of 816 government personnel will secure the three-day festivities.
These include the deployment of some 500 men and women of the BCPO with augmentation from the Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas), Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, and Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6.
Others include personnel of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Leada said they will also engage the assistance of some 150 force multipliers, who will be dispatched to the two festival sites.
Bacolaodiat Festival 2020 chair Oddette Ong-Gomez, who witnessed the send-off rites with Bacolaodiat, Inc. treasurer Jennifer Gochangco-Ong, wished the security well in keeping the festival participants safe.
“We hope there will be no untoward incidents,” she added. (PNA)
