Taguig prepares for a busy Holiday season

Security and safety ensured

The local government of Taguig has laid down its safety and security preparations for the Yuletide season.

The local Bureau of Fire Department (BFP) reminded the citizens to consider safety first when putting up Christmas lights and lanterns. They were also asked to ascertain that the products they buy and use bear marks of passing a safety inspection and quality standards. These measures are necessary, the BFP said, considering that most fire cases in December are caused by malfunctioning or overheating Christmas lights and firecrackers.

On the security front, Police Senior Superintendent Allen S. Ocden, Taguig City Police District (TCPD) Chief of Police for Operation, announced that Taguig Police is already implementing measures to ensure a safe and peaceful Christmas and New Year’s celebration for Taguigeños.

There are eight Taguig Police Community Precincts (PCP), but during the holidays additional personnel will be deployed for beat patrol.

“We normally deploy four policemen for every patrol team but we will be adding another four to six people for the holiday season, Ocden explained, adding that a total of 680 PNP personnel will be deployed within the city.

The Taguig Police will intensify its monitoring of shopping malls, banks and other establishments where the number of visitors rises to its peak since the Yuletide season is the time of the year when people get their Christmas bonuses. Police’s visibility will also be increased by establishing Police Assistant Desks (PAD) in churches as the traditional simbang gabi (dawn masses) starts on December 15.

“Our police department will increase the number of beat patrols and mobile patrols on the streets, subdivisions and neighborhood houses. We’re also going to add “Oplan Sita” – where policemen are moved from one designated place to another to combat crimes like riding-in-tandems and motorcycle robberies,” Ocden added.

Taguig Police, in coordination with the city’s Traffic Management Office, will assign additional policemen along highways during rush hours especially in areas like Bonifacio Global City.

“We would like to ask the public to be vigilant and double check their house security when leaving. Also, avoid bringing too much money and keep their gadgets secure all the time since it’s the time of the year where criminals are most active,” Ocden said.

Complementing these safety and security measures, Taguig Pateros District Hospital Officer in Charge Dr. Anna Richie Quilatan said their department has already fixed the assigned doctors and nurses who will be on duty during the holidays as well.

“We also have assigned on-call doctors and other personnel in case of an influx of patients. These on-call personnel include surgery doctors, ER medical resident doctors, consultants, and nurses who will accommodate firecracker-related injuries, stray bullets or gunshot wounds, trauma from vehicular accidents and mauling incidents which are the most common cases during this season,” said Dra. Quilatan.

Dra. Quilatan also reminded everyone to avoid using firecrackers as much as possible, especially among children who are the usual victims of piccolo and watusi incidents. Moreover, their department is also reminding gun owners to be responsible and not to use their firearms as there are many other ways to celebrate and enjoy the coming of the new year. ###

FILIPINO VERSION:

Seguridad at kaligtasan tiniyak

Taguig handa na sa Kapaskuhan at Bagong taon

Naglatag na ng mga hakbangin ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Taguig upang masiguro ang kaligtasan at seguridad ng mga mamamayan ngayong Kapaskuhan.

Pinaalalahanan ng lokal na Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) ang publiko na laging isaisip ang kaligtasan kung maglalagay ng umiilaw na Christmas decoration. Kinakailangan din na na-inspeksyon at mahusay ang kalidad ng mga produktong gagamitin. Ayon sa BFP, nararapat lamang ang pag-iingat lalo na at ang karamihan ng kaso ng sunog tuwing buwan ng Disyembre ay dahil sa  paputok at mga sira o nag-overheat na Christmas lights.

Ayon naman kay Police Senior Superintendent Allen S. Ocden, hepe ng Taguig Police, sinimulan na nila ang pagpapatupad ng  mga hakbangin para siguraduhing ligtas at payapa ang pagdiriwang ng Pasko at Bagong Taon ng mga Taguigeño.

Sa kasalukuyan ay mayroong walong Police Community Precincts (PCP) ang Taguig, ngunit dinaragdagan ang bilang ng mga personnel dito tuwing sasapit ang Kapaskuhan.

“Apat na pulis ang itinatalaga namin bawat patrol team pero magdadagdag kami ng apat hanggang anim pang tauhan tuwing nalalapit na ang Kapaskuhan,” paliwanag ni Ocden na idinagdag pa na aabot sa 680 ang kabuuang bilang ng PNP personnel na itatalaga sa buong lungsod.

Kaugnay nito ay paiigtingin ng Taguig Police ang kanilang pagbabantay sa mga lugar tulad ng mga shopping mall, mga bangko, at mga matataong lugar. Magdaragdag din ng mga Police Assistance Desk (PAD) sa bawat simbahan bilang paghahanda para sa nalalapit na Simbang Gabi na magsisimula sa ika-15 ng Disyembre.

“Ang aming departamento ay magdadagdag ng bilang ng beat patrols at mobile patrols na mag-iikot sa mga kalsada, subdivisions, at mga komunidad. Mayroon din kaming “Oplan Sita” – kung saan maglilipat-lipat ng puwesto ang kapulisan upang masugpo ang riding-in-tandems at nakawan ng motorsiklo,” dagdag pa ni Ocden.

Ang Taguig Police, kasama ang Traffic Management Office (TMO), ay magtatalaga ng karagdagang kapulisan tuwing rush hour sa mga highway lalo na sa mga lugar tulad ng Bonifacio Global City.

“Nananawagan ako sa publiko na maging mapagmasid at tiyaking ligtas ang kanilang mga bahay lalo na kung matagal na magbabakasyon. Iwasan din po na magdala ng malalaking halaga at ingatan ang ating mga gadget lalo na sa panahon ngayon na maraming masasamang loob ang naglipana sa paligid,” wika ni Ocden.

Tiniyak naman ni Dr. Anna Richie Quilatan ng Taguig Pateros District Hospital (TPDH) na handa na ang pagamutan lalo na sa pagsalubong ng Bagong Taon.

“May mga naitalaga na kaming mga on-call doctor at ilan pang mga tauhan kung sakali man na magkaroon ng maraming bilang ng pasyente. Ang mga nabanggit na tauhan ay mga surgery doctor, mga ER medical resident doctor, mga consultant at mga nars na mag-aasikaso at gagamot sa mga pasyente na mabibiktima ng paputok, mga biktima ng ligaw na bala o tama ng bala, mga biktima ng vehicular accidents at aksidente sa kalsada na karaniwang kaso sa ospital tuwing Kapaskuhan at Bagong Taon,” saad ni Dra. Quilatan

Mariin ding pinaalalahanan ni Dra. Quilatan ang publiko lalo na ang mga kabataan na kung maari ay iwasan na ang pagpapaputok ng watusi at piccolo. Kaugnay dito, nanawagan siya sa mga gun owner na maging responsable at huwag magpaputok ng baril sa bisperas ng Bagong Taon dahil mayroon namang ibang paraan upang salubungin ang pagpasok ng 2017. ###