BACOLOD City – To secure peace and deter crime incidents during the celebration of the 2024 Bacolaodiat Festival, slated for Feb. 9 to 11, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) will deploy about 800 security personnel.
Captain Joel Portos, operations management unit deputy, said 495 police personnel will be from the BCPO, and the rest will be force multipliers.
“All preparations regarding security are in place,” Portos assured the public.
The security personnel will be deployed on Feb. 8 at the festival site along the Lacson Tourism Strip, said Portos.
He added that the activation of the Security Joint Operation Center will also start on the said day.
The BCPO reminded the public that bringing weapons or firearms into the event area is strictly prohibited.
Portos said “inasal” vendors at the festival site were advised to cut the pointed part of the barbeque sticks.
He added that some activities will be held in other areas, such as the malls, but respective police stations have already been tasked with securing their area of jurisdiction.
Odette Ong, a member of the board of directors of Bacolaodiat Inc., the organizer of this year’s festival, said the heightened police visibility will discourage crime incidents.
Yesterday, Feb. 1, Bacolaodiat Inc. unveiled the schedule of activities.
The festivities will kick off on Feb. 9 with the Bacolaodiat Street Dance Competition at 4:30 p.m., featuring six official contingents dancing along 13th to 5th Lacson streets.
Bacolaodiat comes from the words “Bacolod” and “Lao Diat” (a Chinese phrase for celebration). It is a joint Chinese New Year celebration between the city government and the local Chinese community.
Meanwhile, a road closure will be implemented along the Lacson Tourism Strip. The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office will release a traffic plan for the area to be affected by the road closure./PN
