THE Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) is asking the City Government to acquire lots for the construction of stand-alone buildings for Police Stations 3 and 5, which currently operate out of barangay halls in Basak and Opao.
MCPO City Director Police Colonel Cirilo Acosta raised the request during a courtesy visit to Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano on Monday, July 14.
He stressed the need for proper police facilities, noting that securing land is the first step. The MCPO is requesting the city’s help in finding lots of at least 400 square meters where the Philippine National Police (PNP) can build permanent facilities for Stations 3 and 5. He emphasized that the current space is seriously cramped.
Station 3 in Barangay Basak and Station 5 in Barangay Opao continue to operate out of barangay hall spaces not originally designed for police operations. Meanwhile, although Station 1 in Barangay Centro has its own building, it still falls short of the standards set by the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Acosta said the stations housed within barangay facilities are now too cramped for effective policing, with makeshift setups no longer suitable for proper operations—especially when handling detainees and processing records.
“It’s really cramped, especially since we regularly apprehend suspects on a daily or weekly basis, and it takes time before a commitment order is issued,” he said.
Acosta clarified that once the city provides a suitable lot—preferably through donation or usufruct—the PNP can allocate funds for the construction of station buildings. These would follow the standard design recommended by Napolcom, which includes detention cells, administrative areas, personnel quarters, and public transaction counters.
The commission has recommended relocating the stations to dedicated buildings to enhance police visibility and improve service delivery.
MCPO hopes the city can include the lot acquisition in next year’s budget, since it was not part of this year’s appropriations.
Other police stations in Mandaue City include Station 2 in Barangay Subangdaku, Station 4 in Barangay Casuntingan, and Station 6 in Barangay Canduman. These, along with Stations 1, 3, and 5, make up the city’s six operational stations.
Acosta noted that while all six stations currently meet the ideal police-to-population ratio set by Republic Act No. 6975—which is one officer for every 555 residents—facility quality and space availability remain uneven across the city.
He emphasized that there is no need to add new police stations in Mandaue for now. The focus, he said, should be on upgrading existing facilities rather than expanding the number of stations.
Acosta also requested LED televisions, communication equipment, and other essential devices to enhance operations at the MCPO’s command center and strengthen its monitoring and coordination capabilities. (CAV)