CPPO chief eyes task force for tourist spots

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police Colonel Alladin Collado, Cebu Police Provincial Office chief, plans to create a task force specifically for tourist spots in Cebu province to be able to closely monitor the activities amid the ongoing fight against COVID-19.

This idea stemmed from photos that circulated online showing several tourists in Bantayan Island allegedly caught violating the minimum health standard protocols while roaming around the town. 

Collado admitted that they still lack personnel for the moment because some of them were called for their mandatory schooling.

Given the situation with the personnel of CPPO, Collado said that creating the Task Force composed of some volunteers in each area may be able to help the police to apprehend those who would violate the protocols.

The task force could also help jobless people because they would be trained and educated basing on the needs of their area.

Collado said they had meet with the local chief executives when they were able to visit the Bantayan Island and one of their concerns was the influx of the visitors.  

“Isa sa naging suggestion ko is to create a force multiplier na tutulong sa police na may training sila about tourism, they will know how to engage with the tourists lalo na yung mga foreigners,” said Collado. 

(One of my suggestions is to create a force multiplier who can help police and who have training about tourism, they will know how to engage with the tourists especially those foreigners.)

Collado said that the formation of the task force could not only help the policemen enforce  the quarantine protocols around the tourist spots but also help provide jobs to people in the area.

As one of their interventions and monitoring, the traffic enforcement unit of the CPPO have conducted an issuance of citation tickets to traffic violators. 

Collado assured that they would continue to strictly implement the minimum health standard protocols and that there would be no exemption in enforcing the corresponding consequences to those who will be found violating the laws./dbs