By Jennifer P. Rendon
Colonel Gilbert Gorero, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOcPPO), and the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) were feted for establishing rapport with the community while maintaining a strong stance against criminality.
The three led the awardees in the recently concluded 26th Police Community Relations Month celebration.
Gorero, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director, was named Outstanding Police Community and Development (PCAD) Senior Police Commissioned Officer (PCO) for CY 2021.
NOcPPO and ICPO were adjudged as outstanding PCAD provincial and city police offices, respectively.
Other units are San Carlos City Police Station in Negros Occidental as Outstanding City Police Station and San Jose Municipal Police Station in Antique as Outstanding Municipal Police Station.
The other individual awardees were Lieutenant Telmigi Majuk (Outstanding PCAD Junior PCO); Master Sergeant Andrew Capalla (Outstanding PCAD Senior Police Non-Commissioned Officer (PNCO)); Staff Sergeant Jerome Marapo (Outstanding Junior PNCO); and NUP Cristy Flores of Iloilo PPO (Outstanding PCAD Non-Uniformed Personnel).
The Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 bestowed the awards on outstanding policemen and units in a virtual program on July 30, 2021.
Juan Jovian Ingeniero, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional director, was the guest of honor and speaker during the ceremony.
This year’s PCR Month celebration adopted the theme “Pulisya at Pamayanan, BARANGAYanihan sa Hamon ng Pandemya at Laban sa Krimen.”
Aside from unit and individual awardees, PRO-6 also recognized the role of the community in upholding peace and order and security.
Special awards were given to Jerry Sy as Best Stakeholder Award in Individual Category and Felix G. Yusay Foundation as Best Stakeholder Award in Group Category.
During the celebration, PRO-6 also conducted a series of activities participated by the Kabataan Kontra Droga at Terorismo (KKDAT) chapters all over the region.
The activities featured their support for crime prevention efforts of the PNP.
In the photo exhibit contest regional level, Iloilo PPO won 1st place with Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6 and Negros Occidental PPO on the second and third place, respectively.
PRO6 also awarded the winners in the Sining Bayahinan
* KKDAT Leon Chapter – 1st place in Performing Arts
* KKDAT New Washington Chapter- 1st place in Literary Arts
* KKDAT Isabela Chapter- 1st place in Interpretative Dance and Visual Arts
* KKDAT San Jose – the 1st place in Short Film Making
PRO-6 Sining Bayanihan contests were initiated through KKDAT, which promotes youth empowerment, resourcefulness, active citizenry and participation in nation building.
Aside from the contests, PRO6 conducted various BARANGAYanihan projects, which aims to develop closer interaction between the police and the community in handling peace and order concerns.
Meanwhile, Ingeriero said that the strong convergence with the community that the PNP can effectively reduce crimes and curb cases of COVID-19.
He also commended PRO-6 for the successfully pulling the celebration.
On the other hand, Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas police chief, stresses that the PCR month should be taken as an opportune time to strengthen community participation in crime prevention, peacekeeping, and public safety programs.
He also assured the public of the PNP’s continued delivery of quality services in Western Visayas.
