MORE than 5,000 police officers, soldiers, and personnel from various government agencies will be deployed across Central Visayas to ensure tight security for the Asean Summit 2026.
A send-off ceremony was held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Citi de Mari in South Road Properties, led by Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO 7) Chief Brigadier Gen. Redrico Maranan.
According to PRO 7, the deployment includes 3,486 PNP personnel, along with members of the Armed Forces, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, Office of Civil Defense, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and other agencies such as the Department of Health, Naval Forces Central, and local traffic units.
The security forces will be supported by mobility and logistics assets, including 51 patrol cars, 50 motorcycles, two PNP Airbus units, and enhanced communication equipment for the command center.
Maranan said this is the same security strength used during the Sinulog Festival, which successfully managed crowds of over 5.2 million people, proving the capability of the police and partner agencies to secure major events. He added that the team had already ensured the smooth, and incident-free conduct of earlier Asean activities in Bohol.
Asean meetings will resume on Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Cebu City, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu City. Since delegates are expected to visit tourist destinations, police visibility will be further intensified in these areas and across Cebu province.
Authorities assured the public that no major road closures would be implemented. Instead, a “stop-and-go” traffic scheme will be enforced, where vehicles will briefly stop—usually less than a minute—only when Asean convoys pass. Traffic will return to normal immediately afterward.
While no specific security threats have been identified, PRO 7 will remain on full alert until the summit ends on January 31, 2026. A gun ban is also in effect across Central Visayas from January 17 to February 1, 2026. (AYB)