BAGUIO CITY – It’s all systems go for the Police Regional Office (PRO) – Cordillera in terms of securing the region during the Undas (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day) long weekend, its chief said on Wednesday.
“May ginawa na tayo na Operation Plan (Oplan) dyan para mag-handle ng Undas activities. May ilalagay na mga pulis sa sementeryo, places of convergence dahil hindi lang naman ang activities ay nasa sementeryo kasi nagbibisita din sa mga tourist spots ang mga mamamayan at mga turista (We have drawn up an operation plan to handle the activities for Undas. Police personnel will be stationed at cemeteries and places of convergence because people also visit tourist spots),” Brig. Gen. Mafelino Bazar, PRO-Cordillera chief, said on the sidelines of the consumer welfare month press briefing on Wednesday.
Bazar said police units in the region have liaised with repair shops and mechanics to cater to motorists who might need assistance on the road.
Some policemen have also been trained to troubleshoot a vehicle in the absence of mechanics who could assist during the wee hours.
He added that they considered the long vacation when they planned for the observance of Undas.
Bazar has also ordered the police units to sustain the intensified police visibility effort to prevent crimes and to beat the five-minute police response time.
“Maganda iyong ginagawang compliance ng lower units lalo sa five minutes maximum response time. Napilitan silang i-deploy ang mga office personnel para ma-cover ang areas nila na kung may mangyari sa isang area may pre-deployed agad na personnel na dumating agad doon sa area na nangangailangan ng police assistance (The effort of the lower units, especially the maximum five minutes response time, is showing good results. The police units were forced to deploy their office personnel to the field. This would enable pre-deployed personnel to immediately respond in areas that need police assistance),” he said.
Motorists were also advised to take extra precautions when driving around the region due to slippery roads, steep slopes, and rains that may cause landslides and rockslides.
The Baguio City government is already anticipating a huge traffic volume due to the influx of tourists for the long weekend.
In Proclamation 79 issued on Monday, Malacañang declared October 31 a special non-working holiday to allow Filipinos to spend more time with their families, as well as to promote local tourism during the Undas holidays. **PNA
