THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has requested the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Western Visayas to suspend permits to carry firearms outside residence during 15th Bacolaodiat Festival on January 31 to February 2.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Lester Leada, chief of the operations branch of BCPO, said they already submitted their request to PRO-Western Visayas for the enforcement of the gun ban during the Bacolaodiat Festival.
He said that once the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Central Office will approve the suspension of the permits to carry firearms, the gun ban will be enforced within Bacolod City only.
During the gun ban, only the members of the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies in agency- prescribed uniforms who are performing official duties will be allowed to carry firearms.
BCPO also requested an additional 300 policemen from PRO-Western Visayas to the security of the festivity.
Aside from the augmentation personnel, Leada said they will also tap the force multipliers in various barangays.
Leada said policemen will be deployed to the festival sites at Lacson Tourism Strip and Bacolod Government Center.
“The objective of this year’s security plan is to have a “zero major incident” and we will adopt some security features during the MassKara Festival, he said.
Bacolaodiat was coined from the words “Baco” for Bacolod and “Lao Diat,” a Fookien word for celebration.
Meanwhile, the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) will implement traffic rerouting during the festival from January 31 to February 2.
Lieutenant Colonel Luisito Acebuche, chief of BTAO, said on January 31, there will be a road closure along the Circumferential Road, downtown area, and Lacson Street from 5th Street to 13th Street.
He said they will implement the initial road closure from 3 p.m. and by 4 p.m. they will implement the total road closure in said areas as well as the truck ban at the Circumferential Road.
BTAO will deploy a total of 180 traffic enforcers to the identified festival sites.
Moreover, Odette Ong-Gomez, chairperson of the 2020 Bacolaodiat Festival, said they are now ready for the 15th Bacolaodiat Festival.
She said on January 31, there will be an activity at the Bacolod Government Center such as the opening of Imperial Village and a motorcade with the city officials, private companies, and the Chinese schools towards Lacson Street.
On February 1, there will be a conferment to Dr. Andrew L. Tan as adopted son and honorary mayor of Bacolod City, lantern dance competition, and fireworks.
On February 2, there will be a lantern dance repeat performance, lunar music fest, and Megaworld Night.
“We’re inviting everyone to join the Bacolaodiat Festival. This year, we are going to celebrate the year of the “metal rat”,” Ong-Gomez said.
She said they also have international and national guests to join this year’s Bacolaodiat Festival.
Jennifer Gochangco-Ong, Treasurer of Bacolaodiat Inc., said that the actual Chinese New Year will be on January 25, and on January 24, they will open the Fo Guang Shan Bacolod Yuan Thing Temple at Burgos Extension going Lopues East in Barangay Villamonte.
She said the Yuan Thong Temple devotees will usher in the Chinese New Year with a light opening prayer at 11 p.m. and the hitting of the bell at midnight.
Aside from the rituals, she added that a series of activities are also lined up during the day like the cultural show, lantern, lion and dragon dances, among others.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that they are happy that Bacolaodiat has gone this far.
“15 years is 15 years. We’ve seen how this has grown, evolved, and this is a classic manifestation of what can be done in Bacolod if our citizens come together,” Leonardia said.
Leonardia lauded the Filipino-Chinese community in the city for having sustained the growth and development of the city. (MAP)