Cops vow tourists’ safety in Panagbenga Festival

BAGUIO CITY -– More than a thousand police and volunteers will man city streets to maintain the peaceful and orderly conduct of the Panagbenga Grand Street and Float Parade this weekend.

Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Director Jesus Cambay Jr. said that some 499 policemen from the BCPO, Cordillera Regional Police Office, Benguet Provincial Office, Cordillera Regional Training School and field training personnel will impose crowd control, direct vehicular traffic and conduct overt and covert deployment to thwart street crimes as well as secure the public from any untoward incidents during the festival.

For the first time, Cambay said some 40 personnel from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology will augment the local police.

Parade routes will also be secured by volunteer groups, including the National Service Training Program students.

Cambay said they will implement the Incident Command System to coordinate with visitors expected to troop to the city this weekend.

The Incident Command Post, which will facilitate the coordinated system, will implement deployment plans and manage police action. The BCPO has also conducted numerous walkthrough on the parade routes to ensure security of both parade participants and the crowd.

BCPO Traffic Management Branch head James Allan Logan said as early as 4 a.m. in Saturday, policemen will clear parade routes and impose road closures at 6 a.m.

A “No Parking” rule will also be imposed on parade routes in the areas of General Luna, Luneta Hill, Upper and Lower Mabini, Session Road, Legarda Road, and sections of Magsaysay Avenue up to the Bonifacio Road junction.

The BCPO warned violators that a standby towing vehicle will remove motor vehicles once they are found to be obstructing parade routes as well as alternate roads.

Public utility jeepneys with terminals in the Central Business District will also be on express system while parades are ongoing.

Private and public parking areas were designated at the Baguio Convention Center, Baguio City National High School (BCNHS), Quezon Elementary School, Porta Vaga and sections of Abanao, Kisad, Military Cut-off, Loakan Road and South Drive.

Buses, on the other hand, must be parked at the Old City Library and Governor Pack Road in front of BCNHS.

The BCPO also coordinated with communities to activate the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams while standby police personnel will still man police stations and ensure the safety of outlying areas in the city.

Officials coming from sister cities of Baguio arriving this weekend will also be given assistance and security by the police. (Sun.Star Baguio/Sunnex)