THE police in Cebu Province are preparing for the reopening of Kawasan Falls in the town of Badian next month.

The leadership of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) is expecting that the reopening of Kawasan Falls will draw a large crowd of local tourists who want to cool down amid the summer heat.

Kawasan Falls was closed to the public because of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.

As the government loosened restrictions in places under modified general community quarantine, the Cebu Provincial Government decided to reopen the tourism industry and other economic activities to revitalize the province’s economy affected by the pandemic.

CPPO Director Col. Engelbert Soriano said they are coordinating with the Provincial Tourism Office for their security plan.

He may witness the reopening ceremony back so he could discuss with the town mayor his observations for the deployment of the police officers.

“Maybe I will also go there to observe the situation. And then from there, I will do an assessment together with the mayor and the chief of police if there is a need for additional personnel,” Soriano said.

The police official is also waiting for the recommendation from the Badian Municipal Government on the number of people that will be allowed to enter Kawasan Falls, one of the famous tourist spots in

Cebu Province.

Soriano also tasked the tourist police units to secure the other tourist destinations in the province, and he assured the public that the police are ready to assist them if they need assistance.

The CPPO will distribute free masks and face shields to persons found not wearing the protective gear. To recall, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia had issued a memorandum not to fine residents in the province caught not wearing masks, saying that paying a fine is burdensome amid the pandemic. (AYB / KAL)