BAGUIO CITY – Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go formally turned over to city officials led by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong and Vice Mayor Faustino A. Olowan a check amounting to P200 million representing the previous commitment of President Rodrigo R. Duterte for the put up of the local government’s state-of-the-art integrated command center.
The senator claimed that the funds was sourced out from the Office of the President for the realization of the local government’s vision to have an integrated command center that will maximize the utilization of the safer cities technology geared towards integrating peace and order, traffic management and disaster risk reduction initiatives.
The city’s multi-million integrated command center will be based at the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) which is based within the City Engineering Office (CEO) compound in barangay Lower Rock Quarry.
The put up of the integrated command center is aligned with the present administration’s 15-point collective agenda on innovative peace and order, aggressive traffic management and efficient disaster risk reduction in the city.
Mayor Magalong expressed his gratitude to President Duterte and Senator Go for working out the release of the funds that will allow the immediate implementation of the long overdue command center project of the local government.
The local chief executive disclosed that technical people of the local government are now working out the preparation of the terms of reference of the project in preparation for the conduct of public bidding for the same in time for its realization by the first quarter of next year.
According to him, the city’s integrated command center will be using artificial intelligence that will make it as the most modern command center in the country considering the utilization of the available safer cities technology.
He added that the integrated command center will incorporate all existing operation of closed circuit television cameras that will ensure the operation of the city’s traffic lights, patrol cars and disaster response by remote control.
Earlier, President Duterte assured city officials of the provision of the required amount for the establishment of the proposed integrated command system that will help in improving the ability of the local government to address peace and order, traffic management and disaster risk reduction concerns that arise anytime of the day.
Senator Go assured the local government that the Davao city government is very much willing to accommodate the designated technical people who want to visit Davao City’s own 911 command center and train in the same before the operationalization of the proposed integrated command center for them to familiarize themselves with the operation of the said system.
Previously, a number of the city’s technical people were sent to China to see for themselves the existence of the safe cities technology which is an updated version of the existing platforms that will be replicated in the city one the project will be rolled out in the coming months while several information and communication technology companies already signified their intention to participate in the competitive bidding that will be scheduled by the city after the finalization and approval of the terms of reference for the said multi-million project.
By Dexter A. See
