For Boracay pro-6 asks businesses, residents for cooperation in rehab

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — For the sake of Boracay, the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) had appealed for cooperation from business owners, workers, and residents in the island’s rehabilitation.

The PRO-6 issued the appeal during another meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) on April 11 to discuss security in the advent of the 6-month closure of Boracay, scheduled to start on April 26.

"As much as possible, we don't want any security issues to crop up. We have been doing engagements with workers, businesses, and residents who are going to be affected by the closure," said Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, PRO-6 director.

There were no protest actions yet, but Binag admitted that some members of cause-oriented groups are already in the island. "May mga naghihikayat na sa kanila," he said without going into details.

Binag however emphasized that all concerned individuals and agencies should work together for faster rehabilitation works. "Once some security issues would happen, the timetable of the rehab would be affected. Sana magtulungan na lang tayong lahat."

Binag told reporters that he heard of some employers helping their workers to get a job in their other businesses outside of Boracay Island. Others agreed to let their employees work in a week, while the rehabilitation is going on, for them to receive remuneration.

Meanwhile, effective April 8, Binag designated Senior Superintendent Jesus Cambay Jr. as commander of the Metro Boracay Task Force, which is tasked to ensure the smooth, peaceful and orderly rehabilitation of Boracay Island.

Cambay, PRO-6 deputy regional director for operations, will head the 610 personnel of PRO-6 who are deployed to the island for the duration of the rehabilitation.

These provisional troops consist of 300 men from Metro Boracay Task Force/Boracay Sub-Station, 166 augmentation personnel, 126 from Aklan Police Provincial Office; 13 from Aklan Provincial Highway Patrol Unit; four from the Regional Civil Security Unit-6; and one from Aklan Provincial Criminal Investigation and Detective.

Binag said the presence of MBTF and the deployment of other PRO-6 personnel has been proven effective in the deterence of crime incidents.

Records from the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division revealed that there was a decreased in crime volume in Metro Boracay in the past weeks. From 28 cases for the period March 26 to April 1, the number went down to 16 incidents only, from April 2 to 8.

"The Western Visayas Police hopes to sustain its gains on the overall crime situation of the Metro Boracay until the rehabilitation is over," Binag added.