BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered the Task Force All Saints’ Day to monitor and assist in the implementation and regulation of public markets, plaza, and cemeteries in the city.
Leonardia issued Memorandum No. 168 dated October 24 directing executive assistant Ernesto Pineda, chief coordinator of Market Coordinating and Monitoring Task Force, to coordinate with the City Legal Office (CLO), Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), and Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO).
Pineda was tasked to coordinate with the City Treasurer’s Office and the City Mayor’s Office-Permits and Licensing Division that all corresponding permits, licenses, and collection of special fees are duly applied and paid for.
He said Thursday, October 26, the Department of Public Services was also tasked for the maintenance of cleanliness and collection of garbage during and after of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Pineda said he held a meeting with officials of CLO, BCPO, and BTAO Wednesday to discuss the deployment of their personnel.
He added that the BCPO and BTAO were required to submit the security and traffic plans on Monday.
On Wednesday, about 150 flower vendors have secured special permits at the Bacolod Government Center to display flowers along Libertad Market, Mabini Street, Burgos Market, and Bacolod public plaza.
The flower vendors were required to pay P200 for special permit, P100 business tax, and P100 for garbage fees.
Pineda said they will issue a special permit for flower vendors until today.
Members of the task force were deployed to inspect the stalls of the flower vendors, he added.
The task force will also regulate the kiosks along Burgos public cemetery by requiring the owners to apply for a special permit.
Police deployment
The Bacolod police will deploy a total of 311 personnel during the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Senior Inspector Armilyn Vargas, public information officer of BCPO, said the policemen will man the assistance desks in cemeteries, sea ports, bus terminals, and shopping malls.
Vargas said more than 500 policemen from Police Regional Office-Western Visayas remains in the city to augment the security forces for the occasion and to continue their visibility patrol in streets and schools.
The full deployment of policemen in cemeteries will be on November 1 and 2, she added.
They will also provide flyers to remind the public about the do's and dont's during the occasion, Vargas said.
The Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Nocppo) is also on full alert for the upcoming occasions.
In a press release, Inspector Charmae De Paz, public information officer of Nocppo, said Thursday the security and deployment plan were already laid out to city and municipal police stations with the strict guidelines of Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil Jr., director of Nocppo.
Castil directed all policemen to conduct intensified visibility patrol especially in residential areas.
Nocppo reminded everyone to stay alert and vigilant at all times.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Bacolod is on heightened alert as they launch the Oplan Biyaheng Ayos Undas 2017.
Lieutenant Senior Grade Jimmy Vingno, chief of PCG-Bacolod, said on Thursday that passenger assistance desks will be placed in sea ports to assist passengers traveling for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
Vingno said they are expecting the influx of passengers starting this weekend until November 2.
Personnel from PCG-Western Visayas and Coast Guard auxiliaries will augment the 72 personnel in the province, he added.