THE City of Bacolod on Friday, May 18, started the installation of 39 high-definition closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in various areas in the city.
Executive assistant Jose Maria Vargas, cluster head for disaster management, said Friday the cameras were installed along Rizal-Lacson Streets, Luzuriaga-Araneta Streets, others.
He said the Neo-Tech Asia Distribution Inc., which is based in Manila, was the winning bidder of the 39 CCTVs worth P23 million which also include the big screens, recorders, and computers.
"We have a normal process and it's part of the obligation of the winning bidder to install the CCTV in various streets around the city," he added.
Vargas noted that the Neo-Tech Asia Distribution Inc. has five teams from Iloilo and Manila to install the CCTVs in all entry and exit points of Bacolod such as the flyovers in Barangay Bata and Araneta-Magsaysay as well as the areas of Barangays Sum-ag, Alijis and Circumferential Road, and others.
Vargas said the big screens will be installed in the command center at the old City Hall building that will be managed by the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) Information and Technology team.
Six personnel will be assigned to monitor the CCTV screen.
Vargas said the CCTVs are a big help to monitor traffic accidents, floods, and crime incidents.
"It's a high-definition camera so it could capture a clear plate number of the vehicles or identity of the perpetrators in accidents or crime incidents," he said.
The installation of the CCTVs is expected to be completed this month and it will be operational by June 18.
Vargas recalled that the previous administration also purchased 15 CCTV units and all units are now non-operational.
He said they will try to repair the existing 15 CCTV units, but they will ask first the approval of Commission on Audit and Bids and Awards Committee to fix the units.