Two city policewomen among country’s 10 most outstanding

CEBU, Philippines - Two Cebu City policewomen who showed outstanding performance in carrying out their duties were counted among the Ten Most Outstanding Policewomen of the Philippines last Thursday.

Inspector Arieza Otida, Pre-Charge Investigator of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch, and Homicide Investigator SPO1 Ruth Violango were among those awarded as the most outstanding law enforcers in the country.

Otida said she is more inspired now that her accomplishments were given recognition by her superiors.

Otida said that she is happy that in the PNP women are given importance and recognized in their field of service. She added that being a law enforcer is a risky job for women, but a lot of women like her are still pursuing this line of work.

She said she first studied Mass Communications because she wanted to become a media personality, but she later on shifted to Political Science.

"My dreams shifted and it turned out to be very fulfilling," she said.

Being a policewoman is already a fulfillment to Otida, but she said it needs a lot of skills. She is a mother of four kids aged 12, 11, five and two, and is married to PO3 Eric Otida.

Meanwhile, Violango, a former beauty queen, said she was surprised after she was named as one of the winners. She said she felt very thankful and fulfilled after her 15 years of hard work in police service were finally recognized.

Violango said that one of the judges told them in a speech during the awarding ceremony that it was not their aptitude that made them win, but rather their work attitude.    

She recalled that during her on-the-job training at an airline company during her college days, the Human Resources manager asked her to take an interview. If she passed she would be a flight attendant, but she never took the interview.

In 1995 she was named as the 1st Runner Up of the Mutya ng Pilipinas Cebu and started to think of being employed.

"Naghuna-huna ko lisod ang trabaho, kay seven months after mangita na sad kag laing trabaho," she said.

She was urged by her father, Mandaue City Police Station chief Major Perfecto Bongo Sr., to take the PNP entrance exam. He said in the event she fails it would only be for record purposes, but she passed the exams and that started her career as a law enforcer.

She said that the award is a challenge for her to work better and she dreams one day of becoming the Homicide Section chief, but she added she has to double her effort to achieve this dream.

"Naa man gyu’y equality, kaming mga babaye double effort lang gyud," Violango said.

She dedicated her award to her family and her 11-year-old daughter who also wants to become a policewoman.

Violango finished Psychology and Criminology and holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration.— (FREEMAN)