City assures peace and order this Dinagyang weekend
City Mayor Jerry Treñas yesterday assured the security of guests and revelers this Saturday and Sunday, highlights of the 2009 Dinagyang Festival, as hundreds of uniformed and plainclothes policemen are deployed on the streets particularly on parade routes and performance areas.
Treñas said he was informed by Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas, Police Regional Office (6) director, regarding the security preparations. The police are ready to take care of the peace and order during the celebration where thousands of guests are expected to witness the competition.
There are also augmentation forces from the different branches of service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) aside from the police force. The PNP said they will deploy 100 policemen, 300 from the 6th Regional Mobile Group (RMG), 100 from the police regional office and 600 from the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO).
The joint forces of the police and the AFP will be supported by “force multipliers” such as police interns, ROTC cadets and students taking the National Service Training Program (NSTP) coming from the different universities here. There would also be K-9 dogs to help the law enforcers figure out the presence of bombs, explosives and illegal drugs.
The joint police and AFP forces are divided into nine sectors for them to closely monitor each area. The nine sectors are at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, old Iloilo Provincial Capitol, Quezon-Ledesma and Ma. Clara. The piers and in Iloilo City, all billeting areas of guests, Boardwalk, Smallville and SM City are included in the nine sectors.
There would be one police assistance center in every judging or performance areas. The performance areas are in Freedom Grandstand, Iloilo Provincial Capitol, Quezon-Ledesma and Maria Clara. Volunteers from the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) and personnel from the Iloilo Crisis and Management Team will also be around to assist the needs of the spectators.
The Office of the Public Services (OPS) headed by Engr. Raul Gallo has also its plan for the celebration. There would be more than 100 street sweepers and metro aides to clean the streets of garbage and other wastes generated during the festival. It is estimated that some 30 tons of garbage can be generated in just one day.
There will be 48 portalets to be stationed in the different major thoroughfares for the needs of the revelers and visitors. The portalets will be positioned at the judging areas and food festival areas. The caretakers will ask for a donation of P5 from every user. The city government rented the portalets in Metro Manila.