THOUSANDS of soldiers, police and barangay peacekeepers will secure the Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan 2019, the country’s biggest street party scheduled for October 25 and 26 in Angeles City.
Joyce Patrick Sangalang, Angeles City police director, bared this during a meeting with officers and members of the Pampanga Press Club at the Park Inn by Radisson Clark recently.
Sangalang said 193 policemen from the Angeles City Police Office will be deployed during the two-day festival. Fifty-six more cops will come from the Regional Mobile Group based in Camp Olivas, City of San Fernando.
Explosives and Ordnance Division (EOD) and K-9 units will also be deployed to the area to ensure the security of the partygoers, the police official added.
"There are a lot of security forces that will be engaged here, nandiyan po yung PDEA, ang Air Force at saka yung mga force multipliers. When we computed the total number of security [personnel] including the force multipliers, we arrived at 1,117," Sangalang said.
He said the city police suggested to all support units and government agencies involved in this yearly event to employ a pattern of major event security framework.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) uses this in dealing with major or special events, according to Sangalang.
"Actually pang-national po ito, sabi ko nga sa kanila tested po ito during the arrival of the pope, the major event security framework was used. During the Asean meeting and lahat po ng malalaking events kahit yung mga pageants natin dito when it comes to security, we are using this," Sangalang said.
The PNP will take the lead role in controlling all security forces that will be engaged during the event, he said.
Tigtigan Terakan Keng Dalan 2019, organized by the Kuliat Jaycees, is expected to draw more than 10,000 guests on the first day and about 20,000 on the second day, said Irish Calaguas, Lazatin's chief adviser and tactician.
The two-day celebration will be staged at the one-kilometer stretch of Mon Tang Avenue in Barangay Balibago, the city's central business and entertainment district.
The event features dance competitions and special performances by local and national bands and artists.
Food booths and stalls offering various Pampango delicacies and dishes will be opened to delight residents and tourists.
TTKD is the culminating event of the month-long Fiestang Kuliat celebration of this highly-urbanized city.
TTKD started in 1992, a year after the first eruption of Mount Pinatubo. It commemorates the resilient and triumphant spirit of the Angelenos amid the adversities and calamities.