PNP-7 strengthens police visibility to ensure a peaceful Holy Week
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Apr. 20 (PIA) --- Police assistance desks, roving and foot patrol and conduct of checkpoints are just some of the actions taken by the Police Regional Office (PRO) in Central Visayas to strengthen police visibility aimed at ensuring a peaceful Holy Week observance.
PRO-7 Regional Dorector C/Supt. Ager Ontog Jr. during the ‘Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis’ (TSIP) Forum this morning said security measures are in place and that as early as last Saturday “we have already been on full alert” just to make sure that peace and order is maintained during the Lenten Season.
“Ninety percent of the police force is out on the field and a mere 10 percent will be left in the offices for admin work,” according to Ontog as he said that vacation leave for policemen are cancelled during this period.
Police assistance centers or desks are placed in bus terminals, seaports, airports, churches and vacation spots as these are the critical points heavily jampacked with people, this is said.
As a mammoth crowd is anticipated at the South Bus Terminal today being the last day of work, roving police personnel will ensure that passengers will not be victimized by snatchers or pickpockets, Cebu City Police Director S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe declared.
Buenafe also asked passengers to be vigilant against criminal elements and warned not to bring any bladed weapons or illegal substances.
“We have also placed a police assistance desk in the terminal area manned by two police personnel. Other assistance desks are also established at the Pier 1 and 4,” Buenafe added.
In Mandaue City, a total of 15 police assistance centers are established at the North Bus Terminal, churches and private wharfs.
Mandaue City Police Director S/Supt. Noel Gillamac also said their mobile patrol is on a 24/7 duty. “The Holy Week period may be a vacation for others but for the police, this is a 24-hour job just to make sure that the public is safe and that peace and order is favorable,” Gillamac bared.
In Lapulapu City which is the home of high-end resorts, police assistance desk are strategically placed in resorts located in the interior area, disclosed Lapulapu City Police Director S/Supt. Anthony Obenza.
Obenza said apart from strengthening police visibility in churches and wharfs, police foot patrol are deployed in beaches knowing that some take this period as an opportunity to have a vacation.
“The city government also provided the police a motor boat for our seaboard patrol free of fuel and operating maintenance,” Obenza said.
Chiefs of police stations in Cebu Province have also been directed to put up police assistance desk at the roll-on-roll-off (RORO) ports, terminals and churches, according to P/Supt. Elmer Lim of the Cebu Provincial Police Office.
Lim said a number of policemen with augmentation from the Armed Forces of the Philippines- Central Command are deployed to festive Bantayan Island, which is the most popular destination during the Holy Week season.
“A sub-task force on Oplan Semana Santa has been created stationed at Sta. Fe so that police could screen passengers in the entry and exit points going to Bantayan Island. This is to ensure that no criminal elements can get through to the island,” Lim revealed.
K-9 dogs of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency -7 have been tapped to help the police in the various seaports in the province to monitor and check the entry and exit of illegal drugs, Lim said.
During the TSIP Forum, the police directors of the Bohol Provincial Police Office and theNegros Oriental Police Office also briefed the media through skype on the security actions undertaken in their areas for the Oplan Semana Santa. (PIA-Cebu)
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Police in Central Visayas on full alert against terrorist groups
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Apr. 20 (PIA) --- Though there are no reported sightings of armed groups or terrorist elements in the region, the police is not taking a lenient stand as contingency pans are set in place in case terrorist groups strike in areas across Central Visayas.
Police Regional Office (PRO) -7 Chief Gen. Ager Ontog Jr. bared they have prepared contingency measures against terrorist acts but assured that at this time, the intelligence community reported no immediate dangers against terrorist or armed elements.
“We continue to be on our toes and that apart from instituting the necessary security measures for a peaceful Holy Week observance, continuous monitoring is done on sightings of rebels groups or any terrorist elements,” Ontog declared during this mornings’ Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) Forum at the police headquarter’s media center.
Ontog claimed that since Saturday, the whole police force in Central Visayas is already on full alert to make sure that peace and order remains favorable during the Lenten Season.
Negros Oriental Police Director S/Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas though skype bared that they are also prioritizing the security of vital installations in the province as armed rebels might take the opportunity to wreck havoc during the Holy Week period.
Out of the four provinces in Central Visayas, only Negros Oriental is still hounded by the presence of armed rebels of the New People’s Army.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-Central Command for their part is also augmentingsecurity forces of the police to ensure a safe Lenten break but that they remain open to negotiations or talks with rebels to encourage them to lay down their arms in the long-term goal of achieving long-lasting peace.
AFP-Central Command Spokesperson Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus previously said that any hostilities with armed rebels will not start from the military as a sincere gesture for open negotiations in a program dubbed ‘Oplan Bayanihan,’ but also said that in case fired upon, soldiers on the ground would also not hesitate to fight back as lives are also at stake. (PIA 7-Cebu)
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DENR-7 appeals to public to conserve water
By: Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, April 20 (PIA) --- Amid fears of a looming water shortage due to the advent of summer, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) regional executive director Maximo Dichoso appealed to the public to conserve water and at the same time, protect rivers and lakes which are the sources of potable water.
At the same time, Dichoso urged the public to help in protecting the country’s water bodies and likiewise planting trees which play an important role in sustaining the flow of our rivers and creeks.
About 53% of pollution load of rivers comes from domestic wastes, he said.
“Over-extraction of groundwater, dwindling supply of surface water due to neglect of watersheds and over-exploitation of forest resources are also the reasons in looming water shortage,” Dichoso explained.
He also cited climate change as a big threat to the world’s water resources. It is important that people should now adopt water conservation as a way of life, and not just only during the summer months, he said.
According to him, every drop of water save can spell life to some people in far-flung areas in need of water to drink and to keep them away from sickness.
Dichoso also enjoined everyone to continue tree planting saying that trees are important in cleaning the atmosphere, replenishing water bodies, and in mitigating global warming.(PIA-7/HFG with data from DENR-7)
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Dumanjug town to celebrate 1st “Don Dionisio Jakosalem Day”
By: Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY , April 20 (PIA) --- The municipality of Dumanjug, Cebu will celebrate the first “Don Dionisio A. Jakosalem Day” with various programs and activities lined up on July 01 2011.
This celebration is in honor and recognition to the late Don Dionisio A. Jakosalem, the first Filipino, First Cebuano and First Dumanjuganon to be the Secretary of Commerce and Communications during the American Regime and first Governor of Cebu province.
The Sangguniang Bayan of the municipality of Dumanjug recently approved an ordinance declaring July 1 and every year thereafter as the Don Dionisio Abella Jakosalem Day.
Dumanjug officials said, Don Dionisio Jakosalem must be given recognition for his political achievements and the great respect and admiration he accomplished that brought honor and prestige to the people of Dumanjug town.
Dumanjug is a 4th class municipality in Cebu Province . According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 44,807 people with 27 schools offering basic education, four secondary schools and two school districts.
Dumanjug is also known as the “Town of Friendship ” because it hosts any events in the south that include beauty pageants, basketball tournaments, swimming competitions, dance sports, festive celebration and more.
"Abante Dumanjug" which means moving forward is the town’s tagline. The Dumanjuganons are always looking and moving forward to achieve peace and progress for the municipality. (PIA-7/HFG)
LTFRB-7 Regional Director Ahmed G. Cuizon, in a radio interview this morning, called on those who are scheduled to travel for a holiday vacation “to ride only in public terminals to make sure that the buses they are riding are registered at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and have corresponding franchises from their office.”
According to Cuizon, only those buses that are loading passengers at the public terminals have a franchise from LTFRB “because, in the first place, a bus cannot enter the terminal if it does not have a franchise.”
Cuizon warned the public not to venture in riding “colorum” or unregistered buses saying that one will certainly have problems in claiming insurance benefits if they happen to meetroad accidents.
The LTFRB regional chief informed that it is during this period when “colorum” buses abound to take advantage of the large volume of passengers who are going home for vacation.
Cuizon however, said that his office will be granting special permits for buses who want to service specific destinations to accommodate the passengers.
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LTFRB-7 urges passengers to ride only on registered public utility vehicles
By Eli C. Dalumpines
By Eli C. Dalumpines
CEBU CITY, Apr.20 (PIA) --- The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) - 7 urged passengers who are going home for the Holy Week to ride only on registered public utility vehicles (PUVs) to avoid hitches if ever road accidents happen.
LTFRB-7 Regional Director Ahmed G. Cuizon, in a radio interview this morning, called on those who are scheduled to travel for a holiday vacation “to ride only in public terminals to make sure that the buses they are riding are registered at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and have corresponding franchises from their office.”
According to Cuizon, only those buses that are loading passengers at the public terminals have a franchise from LTFRB “because, in the first place, a bus cannot enter the terminal if it does not have a franchise.”
Cuizon warned the public not to venture in riding “colorum” or unregistered buses saying that one will certainly have problems in claiming insurance benefits if they happen to meetroad accidents.
The LTFRB regional chief informed that it is during this period when “colorum” buses abound to take advantage of the large volume of passengers who are going home for vacation.
Cuizon however, said that his office will be granting special permits for buses who want to service specific destinations to accommodate the passengers.
Some bus operators are interested in adding more trips to Bogo City and Hagnaya, in San Remegio because these are jump off points for Masbate and Bantayan Island, respectively, Cuizon added.
As of this morning, Cuizon bared they have already received 20 applications for special permits.
Cuizon further informed that they are continuously conducting thorough inspections of the public buses in the terminals to ensure that the vehicles that are plying the provincial routes are really road worthy. (FCR/ECD/PIA 7- Cebu)
Also present during the workshop were DDG Margarita Songco, DDG Rolando Tungpalan, and DDG Nestor Mijares Jr. It was facilitated by veteran communicators Virgilio F. Lacaba and Gerardo R. Anigan. (PIA-7/MBCN & NEDA-7)
Cebu City, April 20 (PIA) --- Police authorities here will let minor traffic violations pass, at least for the Holy Week, just to ease the heavy traffic that normally happens during passenger season.
S/Supt. Romeo Ver, Highway Patrol Group Regional Chief for Central Visayas, in a forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Cebu this morning, informed he has already ordered his field personnel not to apprehend minor traffic violations to prevent obstructions in the flow of the traffic.
Ver said that in Cebu alone , they have set up seven assistance centers in the following areas: Guinsay, Danao City; Yati, Liloan; North Bus Terminal in Mandaue City; Minglanilla; National Highway in Carcar City; South Bus Terminal in Cebu City and in Toledo City.
Meanwhile, the Regional Maritime Police headed by S/Supt. Jene Bracamonte had also established Action Centers at Piers 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the Port of Cebu, at Hagnaya Wharf in San Remegio and in the Ports of Dumaguete and Tagbilaran to ensure the safety of the passengers.
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NEDA conducts communication, advocacy workshop for PDP
CEBU, April 20 (PIA) ---The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) conducted yesterday the initial communication and advocacy workshop for the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016.
It aimed to enhance the capacity of NEDA officials and staff in developing and implementing an effective communication and advocacy program for the Plan, including media advocacy.
In his opening remarks, NEDA Sec. Cayetano Paderanga, Jr. urged NEDA officials and staff to intelligently communicate the Plan – a Plan that exists, and is a product of sincere consultation with the various sectors.
The workshop covered, among other topics, the screening of target stakeholders, the identification of suitable strategies and channels, and the formulation of key Plan messages.
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Authorities to exempt minor traffic offenses
in Central Visayas for the Holy Week
By Eli C. Dalumpines
Cebu City, April 20 (PIA) --- Police authorities here will let minor traffic violations pass, at least for the Holy Week, just to ease the heavy traffic that normally happens during passenger season.
S/Supt. Romeo Ver, Highway Patrol Group Regional Chief for Central Visayas, in a forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Cebu this morning, informed he has already ordered his field personnel not to apprehend minor traffic violations to prevent obstructions in the flow of the traffic.
According to Ver, aside from deploying personnel to monitor the traffic situation, they had also set up Passenger Assistance Centers in various points in the region to help address the problems of the burgeoning passengers and motorists as they go home to their respective home provinces during the Lenten Season.
Ver said that in Cebu alone , they have set up seven assistance centers in the following areas: Guinsay, Danao City; Yati, Liloan; North Bus Terminal in Mandaue City; Minglanilla; National Highway in Carcar City; South Bus Terminal in Cebu City and in Toledo City.
Meanwhile, the Regional Maritime Police headed by S/Supt. Jene Bracamonte had also established Action Centers at Piers 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the Port of Cebu, at Hagnaya Wharf in San Remegio and in the Ports of Dumaguete and Tagbilaran to ensure the safety of the passengers.
All these are part of the security measures implemented by the Philippine National Police(PNP) in the region to secure the public from criminal elements during the Holy Week.