MANDAUE CITY Mayor Jonas Cortes urged the public yesterday to help the police secure the big events in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu this month.
He said the people should not rely on the police to secure the Sinulog festivities and the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC).
“We need everybody’s cooperation. We can’t rely solely on the police because they don’t have enough personnel,” Cortes said in an interview with reporters yesterday.
Possible security threats, he said, should be reported immediately to the authorities.
Cortes attended a briefing yesterday with IEC organizers, police officials, traffic managers and other stakeholders involved in the IEC planning.
Mandaue will host some of the major events during the IEC, including a walk and overnight vigil to be participated by thousands of youth delegates from around the world.
Before the IEC proper, meet-and-greet activities will be held for international delegates and local parishioners.
Assembly
An assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the IEC Theological Symposium will also be held in the city.
Cortes said he is confident the police are doing their best to secure the events.
Supt. Jimmy Aguisanda, operations chief of the Mandaue City Police Office, said police personnel will be deployed along the route of the Jericho Walk on Jan. 28, along with police trainees from the University of Cebu and barangay tanods.
The walk will start from the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City and end in the Mandani Bay in the Mandaue reclamation area where a vigil will be held.
Aguisanda said security personnel will be deployed from 1 p.m. until morning the next day.
Glenn Antigua, operations chief of the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM), said no roads will be closed during the different activities but one lane of A.C. Cortes and Plaridel Sts. will be devoted for the pilgrims during the Jericho Walk.
Thousands of pilgrims are expected to join the walk.
Cortes said the police and barangay captains will form a task force for every parish to ensure the security and safety of the delegates and local parishioners.
Symposium
The IEC Theological Symposium will be held on Jan. 20 to 22 at Cebu Doctors University in the reclamation area while the 112th Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) assembly will be held at Oakridge Pavilion on Jan. 22 to 24.
The IEC delegates will meet with local parishioners on Jan. 27 at San Roque Parish in Barangay Subangdaku, the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Barangay Centro, and the Holy Family Parish in Barangay Maguikay.
The Youth Day is slated on Jan. 28 and 29.
Cortes said it is an honor for the city to host these “momentous events” and urged all to help the city’s hosting become successful.