SECURITY MEASURES. Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo meets Police Regional Office in Bicol Director Brig. Gen. Nestor Babagay Jr. to discuss security measures for the upcoming Peñafrancia Festival in an undated photo. More than 3,000 police officers will be deployed to secure the festival's activities. (Photo courtesy of Babagay's FB page)
LEGAZPI CITY – The Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) is set to deploy more than 3,000 police officers to ensure the safety of the anticipated over 1.5 million devotees, pilgrims, and tourists participating in the upcoming Peñafrancia Festival in Naga City this month.
In an interview Monday afternoon, PRO-5 Director Brig. Gen. Nestor Babagay Jr. said preparations are 90 percent complete for the largest annual religious event in the Bicol region.
"Our contingency plan accommodates even more participants. Traffic management is an integral part of our security preparations. This effort is not solely about the personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP); it involves collaboration with other government agencies," he said.
"We will adopt a whole-of-government approach, with the Office of Civil Defense, Coast Guard, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine Army also involved."
The Peñafrancia Festival is celebrated in honor of the feast day of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, the region's patroness.
The event's main highlight is the fluvial procession along the Naga River, scheduled for Sept. 20.
More than 2,500 personnel from PRO-5 units will be deployed in a formal send-off ceremony on Sept. 11 in Naga City, in addition to the 800 officers from the Naga City Police Station.
A heightened alert status will start Sept. 7 as part of preparations for the annual event. High-ranking government and religious sector officials are expected to attend the Peñafrancia Festival.
"This is a religious event for the Catholic faithful, so I appeal to everyone: let's work together to make this celebration safe and secure. Be vigilant from start to finish. If you notice any suspicious or rowdy individuals, please report them to us so we can take appropriate action," Babagay said.
To prepare, checkpoints and simulation exercises for various scenarios are carried out to ensure a five-minute response time during emergencies.
"This operation remains under our purview. We continue to ensure a swift response to calls made to 911. Our simulations and actual response drills are being timed to improve efficiency," he said. (PNA)
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