A TOTAL of 1,720 police, force multipliers, and traffic enforcers will be deployed for the 14th Bacolaodiat Festival in Bacolod City on February 1 to 5.
Chief Inspector Lester Leada, chief of the operations branch of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), in a press briefing on Friday, January 25, at the headquarters, said 400 augmentation personnel from Police Regional Office– Western Visayas in Iloilo City will be added to the existing 600 BCPO personnel for the security of the festivity.
About 400 force multipliers and volunteers from different anti-criminality organizations will also augment the law enforcers, Leada said.
The objective of this year’s security plan is to have “zero major incident,” Leada said, adding that reduction of 30 percent on eight focus crimes is also part of their goal.
“We also want to reduce the fear of crime and increase the level of confidence of the stakeholders,” he said.
The total crime volume in the last three consecutive years decreased.
Based on the BCPO data, crimes during the festivity in 2018 reduced by 14.29 percent.
Last year, an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 visitors witnessed the event in two festival sites, but this year, the only venue is the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).
That is why we are expecting an influx of people, even motorcades and parades will also utilize some parts of the roads along Lacson Streets and nearby areas, Leada said.
Part of their security measures is placing three watch towers at the BCGC to oversee the people and vehicles on the ground.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Luisito Acebuche, head of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office, said a total of 320 enforcers will be deployed for the said occasion.
A one-way traffic scheme will also be implemented in selected areas in the city including a portion of Lacson Streets for the parade, and mostly public utility vehicles passing by BCGC, he added.
A whole day rerouting will be implemented for four days, Acebuche said.
He also reminded the public that implementation of the truck ban from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Circumferential Road passing by the BCGC will be strictly followed. (GYM)