LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – “Progress cannot be fully attained without peace and order.”
This was stressed by Gov. Amado “Pogi” I. Espino III who welcomed the members of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) during its 3rd quarter meeting on September 28 at the Sison Auditorium.
The council, headed by Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos who is represented by P/CSupt. Charlo Collado, RPOC Vice Chair, was attended by some 27 out of 35 members. It primarily focused its agenda on the reports presented by the Phil. National Police (PNP) Regional Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Department of Health (DOH)-Region 1, Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), and the Phil. Coastguard.
For its successful implementation of various peace and order program, the PNP Regional Office was adjudged as the Best Police Regional Office nationwide in the recently concluded Police Service Anniversary held in Camp Crame, RPOC Vice Chair Collado said. Also, it has been conferred with Gold Eagle Award on Performance Governance System, he added.
Based on the presentation of the council, an effective peace and order process would require three components particularly on improved police delivery, supportive local executives and strengthened community partnership. Thus, the Community and Service-Oriented Policing (CSOP) triumvirate was tackled which defined the role of the PNP being the law enforcement agency; the local executives as provider of resources, services, leadership and regulatory; and the citizenry as sources of information.
On illegal drugs which is one of the main concerns of the council, the DOH reported that AO 2017-0018, an Algorithm developed by DOH Task Force to address the unprecedented influx of Drug Surrenderers (DS) (for Region1 around 40, 000), was issued earlier.
Dr. Myrna Cabotaje, who delivered the report, noted that the AO was drafted to prescribe guidelines for the implementation of Community-Based Treatment and Support (CBTSS= CBRP) for Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUD =DS) in all primary health care settings (PHCs) that covers the following: prevention and promotion, treatment and rehabilitation, after care and reintegration, monitoring and evaluation.
PNP report noted that based on regional report, the total crime volume from January to September 25 of this year is 21,447 which is lower by 494 incidents or a decrease of 2.30% as compared to last year’s statistics.
For Oplan Double Barrel, a total of 990,158 houses were visited and a total of 39,066 drug surenderers were recorded. As such, a total of 2,756 operations were conducted with 2,872 individuals arrested and 61 deaths on said operations that occurred from July 1, 2016 to September 2017.
For its issues and concerns, the PNP said there is a need to further enhance the Localized Anti-Criminality Action Plan (LACAP).
On the part of PDEA, Reg’l. Director Marvin Tabares reported that some 430 barangays in Pangasinan has been cleared of illegal drugs incidents. A total of 9,841 drug users, he said, have undergone either community based or facility based rehabilitation under Sekder tan Ilalo (Foundation and Hope) reformation program, a notable best practice between the local government units and PNP wherein the province is the earliest to establish such activity.
Tabares also disclosed that the municipalities of Laoac, Agno, Dasol, Mapandan, Sison, Anda, San Nicolas, Burgos and the city of Alaminos has earlier been declared as drug-free. In addition, Natividad town will likewise be declared on September 29.
The 4th quarter meeting will be hosted by the province of Ilocos Sur on the last week of November. Exact date of meeting is yet to be finalized.
By Dexter A. See
