BACOLOD City – Some 1,098 security personnel are deployed to the Panaad Park and Stadium – the main venue for Negros Occidental’s “festival of festivals.”
The ongoing Panaad sa Negros Festival, now on its 25th year, kicked off on April 14. It will run until April 22.
Inspector Charmae De Paz, spokeswoman of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo), said 825 security personnel came from the Noppo, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), the Maritime Police Unit, the Highway Patrol Group, and other support units of the Philippine National Police.
The remaining273 personnel, on the other hand, were from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and rescue group and civilian volunteers, she added.
The Major Event Security Framework is implemented to ward off crimes and other untoward incidents in the festival site, which is located in Barangay Mansilingan.
De Paz said the public must be reminded that security measures are now in place at the venue, like the gun ban. Bearing, carrying and transporting of other deadly weapons are also prohibited.
These measures are in line with the upcoming May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
De Paz said police assistance desks and hubs are also installed at the venue.
Information, education and communication materials with police hotline numbers are distributed as a crime prevention measure.
Noppo is reminding revelers to drink alcoholic beverages moderately.
It also announced that there will be signal jamming in the area during the Lin-ay sang Negros pageant on April 20.
The pageant organizers said a “no ticket, no entry” policy will be strictly observed.
The public will be provided with two entry points – Gates 1 and 3. Gate 2 will be exclusively used for exit, the organizers said.
Delivery trucks will also be barred from entering the park every after 12 p.m. during the entire celebration.
Noppo advises motorists to properly park their vehicles at the prescribed areas. It also urged motorists to observe carpooling to avoid parking congestion and traffic jam.
BCPO’s Traffic Management Unit will patrol the area to impound vehicles of erring motorists.
Revelers and vendors are also reminded to watch over their children. They are advised to put identification cards with contact number inside their children’s pockets.
De Paz said they have already recorded an incident of a lost child at the venue.
The public is reminded to be vigilant and is urged to report to authoritiesany suspicious entity or activity at the venue./PN
