City Hall to install CCTVs in areas with high crime incidents, vandalism

Vandals leave their marks in one of the heritage buildings in downtown Iloilo City. The local government hopes to deter crimes by installing more than 300 closed-circuit television cameras in so-called critical areas. (Herman Lagon photo)

More than 300 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) will be installed in key areas in the city that are beset with high incidents of criminality and vandalism.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas announced in a press conference on Monday that the city government will install a total of 350 CCTV cameras in different areas in the metro to monitor crime incidents and boost the city’s surveillance capability.

According to the mayor, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) have already identified key areas in the city with high incidents of vehicular accidents, crimes, and vandalism.

“We have a total of 350 initial number of cameras. Together with police, PSTMO madugay na naton nga na-identify ang ining mga lugar nga pirme may bungguanay, criminality, kag vandalism,” he said on Monday, June 13, 2022.

PSTMO head Jeck Conlu said that the bidding for the purchase of the CCTVs is now on its final stage. Thereafter, the city will start installing the CCTVs alongside the traffic system.

“Ang bidding patapos na. Dayon, amat-amat na i-install ang camera kag traffic system,” he said.

The mayor added that he plans to install additional cameras which will be part of the city’s command center to be inaugurated soon.

“Sige-sige pa ni, madugang pa kita sang cameras, part ini sang aton nga program amo na ginapreparar man naton ang command center,” he said.

The city government’s Iloilo City Action and Response (ICARE) Command Center is currently nearing its completion at Gaisano Iloilo City Center (ICC) along Diversion Road in Mandurriao district. The five-storey command center was established under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

It will house the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO), additional police and fire stations. (DG)