THE Baguio City Council approved on final reading a proposed ordinance requiring and providing mandatory orientation for security guards, officers and consultants assigned or employed in any workplace within the city on emergency response, traffic direction and control, emergency and crime incidents reporting, and providing sanctions and penalties for non-compliance to the said measure.
Authored by Councilor Peter Fianza, the ordinance recognizes the vital role and contribution of security guards to the maintenance of peace and order. It also gives emphasis to the protection of lives and properties by having them oriented to the local situations and conditions, acquaint them with the policies, plans and programs of the city as this will improve their performance and amplify their contributions to society and the city.
Fianza claimed all security guards, officers, and consultants detailed or assigned post duties or services in any workplace within the city even without a detailed duty order are covered and subject to the provisions of the ordinance.
However, guards, officers or consultants on conduction and escort services are not covered by the provisions of the local legislative measure.
Before being assigned or detailed to any post or service in any workplace within the city, the ordinance stated a security guard, officer or consultant will undergo and complete local orientation training on emergency or disaster response, traffic direction and control, and emergency and crime incidents reporting in accordance with the modules to be formulated; compliance shall be attested by the certificates to be issued pursuant to the provisions of the ordinance.
The ordinance added the training will be done according to programs provided in the modules and the total period of initial training should not exceed 40 hours and the modules will provide refresher and validation training every two years or periods not longer than half of the periods of the initial training.
Within one year from the approval of the ordinance, all security guards, officers and consultants already enjoying post duties in any workplace within the city at the time of the enactment of the measure or the formulation of the prescribed training modules shall undergo and complete the training required.
The ordinance stipulated no fees or charges of any kind or for any purpose will be collected from a security guard, officer or consultant who shall undergo the training provided in the ordinance and all materials needed for the training shall be procured out of allocations for training provided in the budgets of the appropriate offices or agencies.
Violation of the ordinance shall be meted with a warning for the first offense, cancellation of business permit for the year for the second offense and cancellation of business permit and blacklisting for the third offense.
For security guards, officers and consultants posted without the training, they will be meted a warning for the first offense, suspension until compliance for the second offense and blacklisting for the third offense. (Dexter See/Baguio City PIO)