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.
The stations currently operate out of barangay halls in Basak and Opao.
MCPO Director Col. Cirilo Acosta made the request during a courtesy visit to Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano on Monday, July 14, 2025.
He stressed the need to have proper police facilities and said securing the land is the first step.
Acosta asked for help to find properties measuring at least 400 square meters so that the MCPO can build facilities for Police Stations 3 and 5. He said 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 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 that are 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 said once the City provides suitable lots, preferably through donation or usufruct, the Philippine National Police can allocate funds for the construction of the buildings.
The buildings will follow the standard design recommended by Napolcom, which includes detention cells, administrative areas, personnel quarters and public transaction counters.
The Napolcom has recommended relocating Police Stations 3 and 5 to dedicated buildings to enhance police visibility and improve service delivery.
Meanwhile, the MCPO hopes the City can include the lot acquisitions in next year’s budget since it was not part of this year’s appropriations.
The other police stations in 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, which currently meet the ideal police-to-population ratio set by law, but vary in terms of facility quality and space availability.
Acosta said there is no need to add new police stations in Mandaue for now as the focus should be on upgrading facilities, not expanding the number of stations.
Acosta also requested LED television sets, communication equipment and other essential devices to enhance the operations of the MCPO’s command center and strengthen its monitoring and coordination capabilities. / CAV