Tacloban gov’t asks bizmen to heighten security

TACLOBAN CITY, June 9 -- The city government here asked businessmen to step up security measures in their establishments to prevent crime and “human-induced disasters” especially with the influx of visitors for the city’s fiesta-related activities.

Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez urged business owners to coordinate with the authorities should they see something suspicious in the vicinity of their establishments.

“Better to be safe than sorry. We should all be vigilant. Business owners and households should further their security measures to prevent unscrupulous persons from perpetrating their nefarious (criminal) acts,” Romualdez said in a statement posted at the city government’s website on Thursday.

The local police reported that checkpoints have been set up at the airport, Marasbaras district, national road near the border of the city and Palo town, and near public transport terminal. This is on top of intelligence monitoring and foot patrols around the city.

On Tuesday, the local government gathered business leaders at the city hall for a security meeting with the city police office and city disaster risk reduction and management office.

The meeting was held to update the business sector of the security measures currently in place around the city following the declaration of martial law in Mindanao due to a standoff in Marawi City.

The city police have been orienting businessmen on standard preventive measures as part of the incidence management initiative.

The local chief executive appealed to hotel owners to firm up security measures, after observing that some establishments “rarely impose frisking and security checks on guests.”

The city expects significant increase of visitors this month as the local government lined up several activities related to the fiesta celebration on June 30.

On Friday, the city government kicked off the Sangyaw Festival. These day-to-day activities include concerts, cultural presentations, and pageants at the Balyuan Park.

Likewise, The provincial government launched on Thursday the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival 2017 with nightly cultural presentations at the Remedios Trinidad Romualdez plaza.

Both venues are just few meters away from the city hall. Tacloban, the regional capital, is a first class highly urbanized city with a population of 242,089. (Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)