SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- The Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) leadership has announced the top three winners in the “1st Lead PNP Award for Chiefs of Police/Station Commanders” regional level.

Laoag City (Ilocos Norte) Police Chief Sterling Ramund Blanco landed on the top after garnering the perfect rating of 100 percent from the members of the screening committee.

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Second place is Lingayen (Pangasinan) Chief of Police Harris Fama with 93.4 percent rating while San Fernando City Police Chief Pedro Obaldo came third with 91.4 percent rating.

The three bested eight regional nominees coming from the police provincial offices of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte.

PRO1 Deputy Chief for Administration Manuel Cachero, screening committee chair, said the three officers will receive an award of recognition.

Being the top regional winner, Blanco will be PRO1’s nominee for the national level competition.

Aside from Cachero, the other members of the PRO1 Screening Committee were Reverend Conrado Lumahan (vice chairman), Dr. Josephine Flores, Dr. Nora Penaflor and media practitioner Jun Elias.

PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa launched the search on January 26, 2009 during the 18th PNP anniversary.

The main objective is to promote the PNP Integrated Transformation Program and to develop and recognize PNP leaders at the station level.

Frontline Leadership Development is one of the programs outlined by Verzosa when he assumed as PNP chief.

“We shall develop leaders, at all levels. And I shall lead these leaders,” he said in his inaugural speech last September 27, 2008 when he assumed the post.

“Leaders at all levels shall be empowered. Every police personnel, from the chief –down must focus on leadership not only as a role that comes with the position, but as a function. And all personnel must be proficient in exercising commanding and inspiring leadership within their spheres of influence. This is a vital prerequisite to the localized implementation of the 13 key result areas of the PNP Integrated Transformation Program (ITP). Without the right leaders in the field and the frontlines, the PNP ITP vision will grind to tragic halt at the doorsteps of our local stations. We will make effective leadership a way of life in the PNP,” added Verzosa. (LCMY/Sunnex)